LOS ANGELES /PRNewswire/ — A Los Angeles jury awarded a former employee of the Huy Fong Foods, Inc. Sriracha plant $1,025,000 in his retaliation suit.

Juan Bravo was employed as a mixer at the plant in Irwindale for approximately four years. The company, known for its famous Sriracha sauce, made changes to its ventilation system in response to a suit by the City of Irwindale and its residents regarding the facility’s fumes. Bravo, who had asthma, began experiencing difficulty with his breathing.

Bravo raised several complaints about needing accommodation, including needing N95 face masks and transferring out of the mixing room, which went ignored. He was then terminated for allegedly contaminating food product while cleaning a machine, despite doing so consistent with his training and despite other employees doing the same without any like punishment.

The jury on Monday found that Huy Fong Foods, Inc. had retaliated against Bravo after he raised several concerns, and also failed to engage in a good faith interactive process, claims arising under the Fair Employment and Housing Act.  

“This verdict sends a clear message: retaliating against an employee who raised health concerns cannot and will not be tolerated,” said Anthony Nguyen, a Shareholder with Shegerian & Associates.

The lawsuit had been filed and tried by Shegerian and Associates on behalf of Bravo in Los Angeles Superior Court (Case No.  BC706093).

About Shegerian & Associates:

Shegerian & Associates has won clients over half a billion in employment-based disputes and maintains a 98% success rate. We have offices in LA, SD, SF, Riverside and New York: https://www.shegerianlaw.com/.

SOURCE Shegerian & Associates