Panda Express workers forced to strip in 'cult-like' team-building seminar, lawsuit alleges

[dalton99a]

https://www.ocregister.com/2021/03/08/panda-express-workers-forced-to-strip-in-cult-like-team-building-seminar-lawsuit-alleges/

Panda Express workers forced to strip in ‘cult-like’ team-building seminar, lawsuit alleges
Woman who worked at Santa Clarita restaurant contends she was subjected to 'horrific psychological abuse' at 2019 sessions
By Scott Schwebke | [e-mail] | Orange County Register
PUBLISHED: March 8, 2021 at 6:58 p.m. | UPDATED: March 9, 2021 at 2:13 p.m.

A former employee of a Panda Express in Santa Clarita alleges she was required to strip down to her underwear and hug a partially clad co-worker during a “cult-like ritual” at a 2019 training seminar sponsored by the company as a prerequisite to promotion.

The 23-year-old woman is suing Panda Restaurant Group, headquartered in Rosemead, and Alive Seminars and Coaching Academy in Pico Rivera for sexual battery, a hostile work environment and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

She is seeking unspecified damages in the lawsuit filed last month in Los Angeles County Superior Court.

Although the woman is named in court documents, the Southern California News Group does not identify suspected victims of sexual assault.

“We are looking forward to presenting this case to a jury so that a clear message can be sent to Panda Express — which owns and operates over 2,000 restaurants — that it must put to an end to its practice of requiring its employees to undergo horrific psychological abuse and harassment to be promoted,” Oscar Ramirez, the woman’s attorney, said in an email Monday.

Officials with Panda Restaurant Group said the company takes the woman’s allegations seriously and has conducted an investigation.

More details at:
https://mms.businesswire.com/media/20210304005286/en/863082/1/Complaint.pdf

[madaboutharry]

1. What is wrong with some people?

I am so tied of reading stories of how people abuse employees. This story takes it to a whole new level of weirdness. I hope the lawsuit expands to a class action to include everyone mistreated.

[stopdiggin]

2. "team building exercise"

because we're strengthening bonds!

Anybody else just want to puke when they hear these words?
If this is what is meant by being 'bonded' -- count me as one that is proud to be estranged and adrift.

Vapid -- shallow -- dishonest -- disgusting.

[Blue Owl]

3. There's a lot of sick fucks in the corporate management world

[area51]

8. +1 n/t

[Hekate]

4. Ye gods

[Kablooie]

5. Yeah, but their orange chicken is still pretty good.

[Shanti Shanti Shanti]

14. I lived off them, Black pepper Angus steak and Honey Walnet shrimp w/ chow mein, under $15 delivered

No contact, free delivery to my door in 20 min, large portions, yum, lol

[Captain Zero]

6. Fortune Cookie

You will have unique opportunities to show your co-workers all your positive features.

Too soon?

[maxrandb]

7. Ever since that ignorant, corporate bullshit, "pop-up" screed "Who Moved My Cheese"?

Laborers in this country have been asked to see themselves as a bunch of fucking mice in a maze.

They tried to get us all that book at one of my Navy commands and I told them to fuck off. Sometimes your "cheese" is precisely where it needs to be. There's also times when you need to stand-up and either say; "I'm done chasing cheese", or "if anyone moves my cheese, it's going to be me".

I had actually had progressive friends tell me what a fantastic and "profound" book "Who Moved my Cheese" was.

How any corporate psycho-babble skinbook that depicts people as fucking mice became popular in this world is beyond me.

You want to know what the fuck is wrong with this country?

It's Rush Limbaugh and the dipshit who wrote "Who Moved my Cheese".

Eliminate those two fucksticks from American history and we'd be a much better place.

[harumph]

9. Many years back, our county IT department was outsourced

to a private third party. "Team building" exercises were de rigueur - ugh.
I work for myself now (make less money) but at least I have my dignity.

[taxi]

11. Is this what LMET has become?

[maxrandb]

13. Maybe, but at least at LMET I learned how to make coffee

When I left the Canoe Club they were big on Lean 6 Stigma and something called TQL Total Quality Leadership.

[taxi]

16. getting rid of a hooked finger from holding a coffee cup all day takes time

I enjoyed my 3 enlistments

[MineralMan]

10. Damn! You'd think every corporation would understand

that such things are totally unacceptable and will end up costing them lots and lots of money.

I suppose they don't care about what is unacceptable, but you'd think they'd understand about lawsuits.

Just Damn!

[lindysalsagal]

12. "Naked for Noodles?"

Seriously???

[Klaralven]

15. Off-site "team building", "sensitivity training", and other head modifications should be outlawed.

[muriel_volestrangler]

17. She even had to pay for it herself

https://www.wonkette.com/this-horrible-panda-express-story-is-why-bs-self-improvement-seminars-need-to-be-regulated

And the people running it seem to think they can produce word salad and they'll be taken seriously. Is it a sign that if you can't explain the purpose of your company, it will be so badly run that seminars will humiliate attendees? It really is word salad - not just buzzwords, but thrown together at random. It makes Melania T***p sound clear:

About Us

Alive Seminars and Coaching Academy began with a vision and a statement powerful. That as the declaration is made, the action is taken Which was done with love and passion. With that love and passion creating basic and advanced programs and Leaderships To prepare leaders both in their community, in their jobs and their homes Alive continues to thrive on our dedication and passion given to each individual person and that is why great doors continue to open in our walk. Always remember the change in me will change the world

Our Mission

We are an organization committed to human development, where our work is constant, in order to establish tools aimed at improvement of self-esteem, abilities, values ​​, and Leadership of people choose to be within our programs, thus promoting family union, Relations, Health, Finance and Career

Our Vision

We are a Transformational Organization, committed to creating Leaders, for their growth in their vision of life, that contribute the best of themselves to the society in which integrate.

https://aliveacademy.org/about-us/