Jury Finds Baba Yega Manager Was Fired for Reporting Discrimination, Awards Damages | Eater Houston

"At the Montrose bungalow, Baba Yega was the subject of a lawsuit from manager Christine Nugent, who alleged she was fired after reporting discriminatory and harassing behavior by co-workers and employees she supervised, including the use of "ethnic slurs," "sexual-orientation-based slurs," "age discrimination," and "racially discriminatory comments regarding customers." She says the owners "pointedly ignored her," retaliated by excluding her from important meetings and lodging unfounded complaints about her performance, and ultimately fired her in 2017 saying she was "not on board" with planned changes. The suit also alleges the owners engaged in discriminatory practices such as firing a longtime bartender because they "wanted someone younger in the position," hiring only males to work in the kitchen because "men are better at that work," and paying Nugent less than a male counterpart. A Harris County jury found Baba Yega fired Nugent "because of [her] opposition to a discriminatory practice" and recommended $27,000 in back pay and benefits plus $5,000 in compensatory damages for emotional pain and suffering, inconvenience, mental anguish, and loss of enjoyment of life. Baba Yega was forced to close after a December 2018 fire; according to the restaurant's Facebook page, the owners planned to rebuild the space and reopen a "bigger and better" restaurant sometime in 2020, and when reached for comment the owners—who also operate Hungry’s, Upstairs Bar and Lounge, and NextDoor Bar & Lounge—declined to comment on the lawsuit." - Amy McCarthy