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Paula Deen Sued for Sexually Harassing Woman at Work

By Stephanie Rabiner, Esq. | Last updated on

Paula Deen may have dropped 2 pant sizes, but it appears she's gained back the weight in other, less-flattering areas.  The butter-loving chef and her brother are  the proud new owners of an employment lawsuit, filed by a former general manager at Uncle Bubba's Seafood and Oyster House in Savannah.

Lisa Jackson is accusing Bubba Hiers and Paula Deen of sexual harassment. When promoted to the managerial post, Deen allegedly told her she was "going to do something I've never done. I'm going to put a woman in a man's job."

These kinds of statements were a fixture during Jackson's five years on the job, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. She claims she was paid less than men in similar positions, and that Bubba continued to make sexually charged comments towards her and other female employees.

He allegedly brought pornography to work, and visited adult websites on the kitchen computer, reports gossip site TMZ. He's also accused of kissing Jackson and spitting on her.

Perhaps even worse than the Paula Deen sexual harassment charges are the accusations of racism. The siblings are also accused of making racist comments and forcing black employees to use a separate bathroom in the back of the restaurant.

Unless she, herself, is African-American, Lisa Jackson can't recover for any of these race-based comments. However, they are still relevant to her case. If Deen and her brother are shown to have engaged in a pattern of illegal, discriminatory behavior, she may be able to recover a greater amount of punitive damages.

Juries, and judges, are more likely to award punitive damages when individuals have shown a total disregard for the law.

So, what do you think about the Paula Deen sexual harassment charges? Did she do it? Or is Lisa Jackson just trying to cash in on Deen's diabetes drug earnings?

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