Ex-waitress files lawsuit against husband of Real Housewives of New Jersey star Caroline Manzo claiming discrimination

PUBLISHED: 03:59 EST, 16 December 2013 | UPDATED: 04:14 EST, 16 December 2013

View
comments

A waitress has filed a lawsuit against Albert Manzo, the husband of Real Housewives of New Jersey star Caroline Manzo, claiming she was discriminated against and owed money for overtime.

Lanise Jackson, 36, in her lawsuit alleged that Albert Manzo, 53, belittled her numerous times when she worked at The Brownstone House catering facility in Paterson, New Jersey.

Jackson claimed that Albert and his younger brother Tommy routinely called her and other workers 'Spic bitches' and directed other racial and sexual slurs at her.

Lawsuit filed: Albert Manzo, shown with his wife Caroline in November 2012 in New York City, has been sued by a former waitress

She claimed in court papers obtained by the New York Daily News that Tommy allegedly yelled at her, 'Are you blind? What are you, Chinese? Open your eyes.'

The former waitress said she was 'constructively terminated as she could no longer endure the racial, sexual, ethnic and country of origin epithets hurled at her hourly.'

More...

Jackson worked at The Brownstone House from October 2011 to April 2012 and again from September 2013 to November 2013.

Keeping it real: Caroline, shown in June in New York City, was not named as a defendant in the lawsuit

She described the catering hall in court papers as 'unhygienic,' 'roach infested' and 'filthy.'

Jackson also claimed that she regularly 'worked in excess of 40 hours per week,' but 'was never paid time and half overtime.'

Albert has denied all of the allegations.

Legal woes: Real Housewives of New Jersey stars Teresa and Joe Giudice face federal fraud charges

'I’ve never spoken to any employee in that manner. This is the most insane thing I’ve ever dealt with. Now I got The Daily News calling me about this, I’m seriously thinking about launching a countersuit. She is defaming me,' he told the newspaper.

Albert said he was convinced the lawsuit was 'a byproduct of the fame of the show.'

'It’s almost like she has nothing better to do. I can’t wait for this to go to court. She’ll be perjuring herself,' Albert said.

Albert's wife Caroline has been a fixture on the reality show since its debut in 2009.

She recently announced that she will not be returning to the hit Bravo show for its sixth season.

The family however reportedly will appear in a Bravo spin-off show tentatively tilted Manzo'd With Children.

Legal woes have dogged other cast members of the reality show with Teresa and Joe Giudice charged in July with a 39-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury alleging fraud.

The cast: Melissa Gorga, Jacqueline Laurita, Caroline, Kathy Wakile and Teresa are shown in April in New York City

Waitress who worked for husband of 'Real Housewife,' Caroline Manzo, claims bigotry and unfair pay

MOST WATCHED NEWS VIDEOS

Comments (4)

Share what you think

The comments below have not been moderated.

Kaz, Kent, 2 hours ago

Horrible families all of them - no class.

Click to rate

Linda Boyle, Surrey, United Kingdom, 11 hours ago

money cannot buy manners? He thinks because he is rich he can abuse someone lower down the chain then him, cannot stand the Manzo family they look down on others and what have they really got, children that live off their parents and a TV channel pumping money into them. Its all Crap.

Click to rate

tatenda, Corby - UK, 12 hours ago

Albert's brother Tommy....that one has got a foul mouth...remembered him the way he used to speak to Dinah when they had their wedding shot for t.v.for something about ''million dollar wedding''