24 Hour Fitness, San Ramon, CA, has been sued by a male employee on claims of sexual harassment by a California club’s female manager.
The lawsuit was filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court, according to a report in the Los Angeles Times.
Jonathan Prince says that for one month this summer, the manager of the Sherman Oaks, CA, club invited him for drinks, asked him to accompany her to Las Vegas and sent him unwanted, suggestive text messages, the Times reported. When Prince told the manager to stop with the behavior, she allegedly retaliated by criticizing his work performance and thus hurt his chances for a promotion and a bonus, according to the newspaper.
Prince said he “suffered and continues to suffer embarrassment, humiliation, emotional distress, mental anguish and severe shock to his nervous system,” the Times reported. The lawsuit seeks compensation in excess of $50,000.
24 Hour Fitness says that while it is aware of the complaint filed in Los Angeles County, it has not been served with the legal action.
“As a matter of practice, we do not comment on pending litigation,” the company said in a statement. “Our focus remains on making fitness accessible and affordable to people of all ages.”