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US nanny sues New York employer over racist text
A US nanny is suing a British couple in New York after allegedly receiving a racist text message before being unfairly dismissed.
Giselle Maurice, 44, had just started working for the couple when she was fired for being African-American, she claims, because of a text message she received by accident on her first day.
Mother-of-two, Lynsey Plasco-Flaxman, allegedly meant to send the text message to her husband, Joel Plasco, upon realising the woman was black, reports the Daily Mail.
"NOOOOOOOOOOO ANOTHER BLACK PERSON," the text is alleged to have read, according to the lawsuit.
The text was sent by accident to Ms Maurice, and was supposed to reach Mr Plasco, the lawsuit says. When Mr Plasco did not reply, it's understood Ms Plasco-Flaxman sent the message a second time.
When Ms Plasco-Flaxman realised what she had done, she then allegedly fired Ms Maurice immediately, explaining how she felt "uncomfortable".
In her defence, Ms Plasco-Flaxman says the couple were expecting a Filipino nanny, after their outgoing African-American nanny hadn't met their expectations.
Ms Maurice is seeking $124,000 (NZ$187,339) in wages that she was promised from the couple for a six-month live-in job.
But the couple says there was no contact, and Mr Plasco told the Daily Mail he has not yet been served with any kind of claim.
There are "two sides to every story," said Mr Plasco, co-chairman of the Dalmore Group investment bank.
He told the New York Post that his wife did not mean to send the text, but once Ms Maurice received it, the couple feared leaving their child in the nanny's care.
"But would you put your children in the hands of someone you've been rude to, even if it was by mistake? Your newborn baby? Come on!"
Ms Maurice says she would not have treated the child any differently after receiving the text, saying she would have liked the opportunity to prove the couple wrong.
Courtesy of Newshub.
