Tammy McCoy, of Clairton, filed the suit in federal court Wednesday against Pan American Group, which does business as Panera Bread, on religious discrimination grounds.
Ms. McCoy said she was hired at the Pleasant Hills store in October 2019 and reported to general manager Lori Dubs and assistant general manager Kerri Ann Show.
On May 29, Ms. McCoy was taking a break with Ms. Show, Ms. Dubs and another employee. At first, they were talking about various subjects, such as music, but then Ms. Show started talking about religion, according to the suit.
According to the filing, she “never discussed her religion or religious beliefs at work,” because she felt the subject was private.
But Ms. Show, the assistant general manger said she was Christian and asked Ms. McCoy, “What religion are you?”
“I’m Pagan,” Ms. McCoy replied.
Ms. Show “made a face,” according to the complaint, and said, “You’re going to hell.”
Ms. Dubs nodded in agreement, the complaint says.
Ms. McCoy said, “OK,” and walked away, hoping the subject would be dropped.
On June 2, Ms. McCoy said, she asked Ms. Show when the work schedule would be posted.
“Your hours are being cut until you find God,” Ms. Show replied, according to the complaint.
Ms. McCoy’s schedule was cut to three days that week, she said, and after that, she was scheduled for fewer days than she had been before Ms. Show and Ms. Dubs learned of her religion.
She said the managers also sent her home early on days when she did work and clocked her out for breaks that she didn’t take.
Over the next few weeks, Ms. McCoy said, Ms. Show and Ms. Dubs created an increasingly hostile work environment, telling her that her religion was false and that she needed to believe in God or would go to hell.
On June 11, the district manager visited, and Ms. McCoy told her about the harassment.
According to the suit, the district manager, who was friends with Ms. Show and Ms. Dubs, said the two were just “joking around.”
Ms. McCoy asked for a transfer.
The district manager told her no and said, “We’re probably going to get rid of you anyways,” according to the complaint.
Ms. McCoy asked for the phone number for the human resources department, after which she said the manager told her she would be fired if she called.
Ms. McCoy said the situation grew worse, with Ms. Show telling her, “I’m going to whup your butt.”
She also said another employee told her she overheard Ms. Show and Ms. Dubs plotting to get rid of her by “setting her up for stealing,” the complaint says.
Ms. McCoy eventually called the HR department in Ohio and left a message.
She said she kept leaving messages but was never called back.
On July 27, she said, Ms. Dubs told her to put in her month’s notice.
When Ms. McCoy asked what she did wrong, she said Ms. Dubs replied, “I don’t like you.”
Ms. McCoy also said the district manager pulled her aside and asked, “How are those phone calls going for you?” — an indication that she knew Ms. McCoy had been trying to reach HR and that the manager had told the HR representative not to return her calls.
Ms. McCoy was fired Aug. 1, 2020, along with her husband, who also worked at the Pleasant Hills store.
“The plaintiff was subjected to a hostile work environment because of her religion,” Ms. McCoy’s lawyer, Michael Bruzzese, wrote in the complaint. “She was treated differently in the terms and conditions of her employment because of her religion. Her employment was terminated because of her religious beliefs.”
Reached for comment Thursday, an employee at the Panera hung up.
