In a recently-filed Manhattan federal court complaint, captioned Davy v. Darren Davy (SDNY 16-07083), plaintiff Angela Maria Puerta – a nanny and housekeeper who worked for defendants Darren Davy and Asmaa Davy – asserts claims of unpaid wages, hostile work environment, and unlawful termination.
From the complaint:
1. For more than two years, [plaintiff] worked as a nanny and housekeeper at two of Defendants’ properties, including their principal home located in Manhattan. Ms. Puerta worked inhumanely long hours, performed arduous tasks, and endured verbal abuse, taunts, threats and hostile work conditions until her employment was unlawfully terminated on or about July 28, 2016 because Ms. Puerta requested to take time off due to her chronic medical condition of gastritis. …
44. Ms. Davy repeatedly stated to Ms. Puerta that Ms. Puerta, as someone of Colombian descent, was estupida (stupid), a puta de mierda (slut from shit) and that Colombians are “narco traffickers” and “terrorismos”. On one occasion, Ms. Davy told Plaintiff, “go to Columbia, the country of narco traffickers and terrorismo”. …
67. The willfulness of Defendants’ wage violations is also demonstrated by their egregious inhumanity toward Ms. Puerta, which – as detailed above – included a work environment that was laden with demeaning slurs toward Ms. Puerta based on her Hispanic ethnicity and national origin (Colombian) and the Defendants insistence that Ms. Puerta be in a state of servitude at all hours of the day and night, seven days a week. Similarly, Defendants’ termination of Ms. Puerta for having asked for some time off to get medical treatment and rests reflects Defendants’ callous disregard of New York Executive Law and their callous indifference toward Ms. Puerta’s well-being.