Former employee of Kidsville USA files suit alleging she was fired after reporting moldy meat

LOS ANGELES - Jan. 30, 2014 - PRLog -- A former employee of Kidsville USA, owned by Maureen Perera, filed suit in Los Angeles Superior Court on Friday 4/19/2013 alleging that her former employer terminated her for taking photographs of moldy meat that her employer intended to serve to the children at Kidsville.

Los Angeles Employement law Attorney Jonathan Delshad says that Under Labor Code §1102.5(b) An employer may not retaliate against an employee for disclosing information to a government or law enforcement agency, where the employee has reasonable cause to believe that the information discloses a violation of state or federal statute, or a violation or noncompliance with a state or federal rule or regulation.

         Forms of retaliation include, but are not limited to, any disciplinary action taken against an employee. This includes termination, demotions, decreases in pay, and/or lesser working conditions.

The law has created these laws to prevent employers from retaliating against an employee who discloses or is believed to have disclosed unlawful business practices performed by the persons employer. The failure to provide such protections would create a silencing effect, in which employees who would otherwise blow the whistle on their employers in order to protect the public good, would now be afraid to do so for fear of being retaliated against and losing their jobs.

The plaintiff alleges that Kidsville USA was preparing to cook expired and moldy meat which would be served to the young children at the Kidsville day care center. Plaintiff alleged that she took photos of the expired and moldy meat andshortly thereafter, Social Services arrived at Kidsville.

The plaintiff alleges that coworkers told Owner Maureen Perera that Plaintiff had taken photographs of the moldy meat, that Maureen Perera repeatedly accosted her about social services, and that Maureen Perera cut her hours after this incident. The Plaintiff alleges that Maureen Perera and Kidsville made threats to the employees for reporting her to social services and eventually constructively fired Plaintiff for making the complaint.