– Office Christmas parties are on the horizon, so take this cautionary tale to heart: Alana Bechiom filed a lawsuit last week in Los Angeles Superior Court over a Christmas party that went very sideways last year at a San Pedro, California, Taco Bell, where she worked at the time. KTLA-TV reported that Bechiom’s manager invited her to the potluck staff party, and Bechiom brought a bowl of guacamole. When she arrived, she said, she realized her manager had “covered the windows of the restaurant with wrapping paper” and had covered the lobby cameras. She noted that the supervisor had provided alcohol and some staffers were “overserved.” After stepping outside for a moment late in the evening, Bechiom returned to find a co-worker “having sex with his wife in front of everyone at the party”; the wife was also kissing the manager and another female co-worker. Bechiom said she ran out of the restaurant but went back in to get her guacamole bowl, where she found the manager and co-worker vomiting, one in her bowl. Bechiom reported the incident to Taco Bell, and the manager and co-worker were fired, but since then she’s been threatened and had her car windows shattered. Bechiom said she has suffered “actual, consequential and incidental financial losses”; her lawsuit names Taco Bell and the franchise owner, who she said “did nothing about the threats.” Taco Bell says they “take these claims very seriously.” [KTLA, 11/21/2023]
^^^^ well this officially makes my previous Christmas office parties quite dull and lifeless (even with the karaoke going). might have to switch to Taco Bell since Chilli’s or Hooters are probably sick of my crazy ass by now.
