Sophia Cargill and Michael/Photo courtesy of Newz
Wendy’s manager, Michael, who was caught on camera calling Black employee, Sophia Cargill a “b*tch” has been fired for harassment.
Cargill, a general manager in training, shot a video on her cellphone of Michael, an assistant manager calling her the sexist expletive and telling her that she was “f*cking lazy.” He was also yelling and aggressively stomping about. The Wendy’s is located in Kalamazoo, Michigan.
Cargill shared the video on TikTok when it happened two weeks ago, and the power of the internet took over. Eventually, the video made its way to DL Hughley’s timeline, and the rest was Wendy’s history.
@mon3adatmacAnother workday with Karen in this case is Ken ##wendys ##toxic ##workforce ##foryou ##howsophdoit ##emotionallyunstable ##management ##ken unhinged♬ original sound – Sophia Monea
Besides the inhumanity of being subjected to workplace harassment, shortly after the video went viral, Cargill was suspended without pay while Michael was allowed to continue working. This was not the first time that Michael had behaved abusively.
Yesterday, Wendy’s told TMZ that Michael had been fired and that Cargill had been reinstated with back pay.
“We have no tolerance for harassment in the workplace. Upon learning of this situation, we acted immediately following our protocols and suspended those involved to run a thorough investigation,” the Wendy’s spokesperson said.
Either way, the damage may have already been done. A Go Fund Me page was launched for Sophia Cargill, and she is not sure that she will continue working at the restaurant.
“I’m unsure if I want to return to Wendy’s… because this problem is systemic,” she wrote
on her GoFundMe page. She has raised around $17,000 so far and said she is considering an attorney but prioritizing her mental health. She had reported Michael before, but nothing was ever done.Hopefully, this will serve as a fair warning for other businesses that turn a blind eye to management’s abusive behavior.