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Former IHOP assistant manager files suit against company

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By Dustin Lemmon | Wednesday, March 29, 2006 12:21 AM CST | () comments

A former assistant manager at the Davenport IHOP restaurant has filed suit against the company claiming he was discriminated against based on his race when he was fired in 2004.

Brian A. Woods of Davenport, filed the lawsuit recently in U.S. District Court, Southern District of Iowa, claiming he was the victim of discrimination by a general manager who took over at the restaurant on 53rd Street while he was there.

Officials with IHOP did not return a call Tuesday from the Quad-City Times seeking comment.

Woods, who is black, said he was an assistant manager at the IHOP from Feb. 9, 2003, to Feb. 24, 2004. While there he worked 60 hours a week on the “graveyard shift” without any customer complaints or cash shortages on his shift, the suit claims.

According to Woods, the general manager told him he had hired a customer to spy on him and yelled at Woods on at least one occasion after Woods said customers were complaining about the store’s temperature.

Later, the general manager changed Woods’ shift so that he was working quick turnarounds — getting off work at 3 a.m. and having to return at 11 a.m. Woods complained about the change and then was fired by the district manager, who also is black, the suit claims.

Woods is asking to be reinstated to his former job and wants an unspecified amount of compensation for lost wages, benefits, commissions, tips and bonuses, as well as damages for emotional distress.

Dustin Lemmon can be contacted at

(563) 383-2493 or dlemmon@qctimes.com.