Terri Stipsky, a former employee of Harley's Simi Bowl, Inc., has filed a lawsuit alleging wrongful termination and various labor violations. The complaint was filed on April 2, 2025, in the Superior Court of California for the County of Ventura against Harley's Simi Bowl, Inc. and unnamed defendants. Stipsky claims that her employer failed to provide meal and rest breaks, did not pay wages or overtime properly, and retaliated against her for taking bereavement leave.
According to the complaint, Terri Stipsky worked as a bartender at Harley's Simi Bowl from August 2018 until December 2021. During her employment, she claims she was subjected to unlawful working conditions including not being provided with mandatory meal and rest breaks as required by California law. She alleges that despite working more than eight hours per day and forty hours per week regularly, she was not compensated for overtime. Furthermore, Stipsky asserts that she was wrongfully terminated after taking approved bereavement leave following her mother's death in November 2021.
Stipsky contends that while on bereavement leave, she continued working at another job due to financial necessity—a fact known to her employer—and this led to her dismissal. Her manager allegedly informed her via text message that she was terminated for maintaining a second job during her leave period. Stipsky argues this action constitutes retaliation under the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) and violates public policy protecting employees from discrimination based on lawful off-duty conduct.
The lawsuit accuses Harley's Simi Bowl of multiple violations including failure to provide accurate wage statements and engaging in unfair business practices under California Business & Professions Code §§ 17200-17208. It also claims hostile work environment due to retaliation by supervisors identified only as "Jesse" and "Claire." The plaintiff seeks compensatory damages for lost wages, emotional distress, punitive damages for willful misconduct by the defendant, penalties under Labor Code § 203 for unpaid wages upon termination, attorney fees, costs of suit, and other relief deemed appropriate by the court.
Representing Terri Stipsky are attorneys Rick Martin, Ji-Su Park, and Alex Federick from Angel City Law PC based in Los Angeles. The case is presided over by Judge Brenda Lift Connick with Case ID: 2025 CLT 047 507.