Former Wawa Worker Alleges Racially Hostile Environment
READING, Pa. (AP) - A former Wawa convenience store employee is alleging in a federal lawsuit that a manager told him "you Spanish people really like your vacation" and that "we aren't paying you to speak Puerto Rican."
Philadelphia magazine reported Wednesday that Juan Piniero, a former fresh food manager at a Reading-area store, alleges that the company wrongly terminated him, fostered a racially hostile work environment and violated the state Human Relations Act.
Piniero says he was terminated early last year, about a month after being injured at work. He says a general manager blamed him for problems he couldn't control.
Wawa public relations manager Lori Bruce said there will be no comment on pending lawsuits or "employee-specific situations" but that the company supports and celebrates its diverse employees and customers.
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