Was This Cook Fired for Reporting a Sexual Assault?

A former cook at a restaurant in Georgia is suing her former employer, claiming she was fired "in retaliation" for reporting that a co-worker attempted to rape her last year. According to the Macon Telegraph, the former employee of Smok'n Pig BBQ is alleging that she was sexually assaulted by another former cook, Jeremy Hicks, last August while he was "on the clock."

The restaurant denies she was fired for reporting the rape.

Hicks supposedly went to her apartment to ask her if she would cover his shift. She agreed and went to change her clothes. It was then that Hicks tried to rape her, according to the report. The woman fought Hicks off and told her immediate supervisors about the incident the next day.The woman contends that a detective investigating the incident even called the restaurant to notify management that she had filed a report. Furthermore, the lawsuit alleges that similar complaints have been filed against him by others in the past.

The restaurant denies she was fired for reporting the rape. Management insists they were unaware of the allegation until after she had been fired for unrelated reasons and only learned about the case because she is appealing a denied unemployment claim. They also claim they have evidence that proves it wasn't an attack. The unnamed woman is suing for lost wages and benefits, as well as compensation for "mental and emotional suffering."

The former cook isn't the only person to be exposed to sexual assault in the workplace: In 2008, four employees filed a $600 million lawsuit against an NYC restaurant claiming that a former general manager raped, molested, battered, and assaulted female employees.