Security Officer Sues Allied Universal Security Services for Discrimination Among Other Claims
LOS ANGELES CA
A security guard is suing her former employer, alleging she was wrongfully terminated in 2023 for getting pregnant and taking maternity leave.
Raquel Rojas’ Los Angeles Superior Court lawsuit against Allied Universal Security Services includes allegations of harassment, discrimination, whistleblower retaliation, intentional infliction of emotional distress and breach of contract. She seeks unspecified damages.
An Allied Universal representative did not immediately reply to a request for comment on the suit brought Nov. 26.
Rojas, 32, was hired in October 2019 and she provided customer service and security for Allied Universal clients.
“Rojas was a dedicated and diligent employee, consistently showing her commitment by taking on multiple events in a single day, often stepping in when other employees were unwilling to do so,” according to the suit, which further states she often worked more than 12 hours daily.
But after Rojas became pregnant in April 2022, informed her male supervisors, they were unsympathetic and one of them declined her request to be relieved early during one shift in which she had been on duty for more than 10 hours, the suit states.
Rojas, whose pregnancy was considered high-risk, felt discouraged, according to the suit.
The plaintiff’s request to human resources for work adjustments that involved less standing and supported by a doctor’s note were ignored, the suit states. From then on, Rojas started receiving fewer shifts, according to the suit.
Rojas went on maternity leave in December 2022 and when she sought to return to work three months later, she was told she would have to reapply for her job because she had not worked since two months before her leave and thus was no longer an employee, the suit alleges.
“Rojas was both shocked and devastated by this news,” the suit states.
Rojas explained that up until her maternity leave she was willing to work, but had not received any assignments, according to the suit, which further states that the plaintiff has suffered economic losses and emotional distress since losing her job.
