A former butcher at a Florida Publix claims she was fired after she pointed out that the sell-by date on chicken and steaks were being altered.
According to the Tallahassee Democrat, Tracy Aiken made the claim along with several others in a discrimination suit filed in the Leon County Circuit Court, Monday. Aiken reportedly worked as a meat cutter from 2001, until she was fired in January 2017.
In the lawsuit, Aiken said she was assaulted on several occasions when she confronted the meat market manager and other cutters about the altered dates.
Aiken also said in the lawsuit that, after a new meat manager took over the department, she noticed the dates on several steaks had been changed to allow more time for them to be sold. She claimed the sell-by dates on chicken products were being raised to add an additional five days for sale.
Aiken also claimed that butcher machinery was not being cleaned between cutting different kinds of meat, something the Food and Drug Administration requires, the Tallahassee Democrat reports.
After she reported the violations, Aiken said the manager began to nitpick her work, and the manager became upset with her. She said the manager became aggressive and shoved her on several occasions, as well as another employee shoving her to the floor.
When Aiken reported the incidents to store management, she said she was accused of lying.
Aiken also said she was fired as retaliation for reporting the violations and due to her gender and race.
A Publix spokesman told the Tallahassee Democrat the company does not comment on pending lawsuits.
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