By KAREN MICHAEL
Special correspondent
Kroger wants to dismiss a July lawsuit by the father of an ex-employee who claims his son died from the tortuous conditions he was exposed to by employees of grocery chains.
Evan Seyfried (40), was a veteran of Krogers dairy section in Milford Ohio for 19 years until he committed his suicide in March 2021. According to the suit, Shannon Frazee (store manager) started a campaign to remove Evan and declared her intention to make Evans’s life miserable.
The suit claims that Frazee’s motivation stemmed from Seyfrieds attempts to protect himself during the COVID-19 epidemic by wearing a face mask. Frazee claims Evan was humiliated for it despite her role as store manager.
Frazee allegedly pitted co-workers against each other on the basis of their compliance with COVID-19 safety guidelines. According to the suit, Frazee put pressure on Seyfried. [Seyfried]and associates with different political opinions.
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According to the lawsuit, Frazee was accused of harassing, taunting, and bullying Seyfried, as well as making sexual advances towards him. According to the lawsuit, she is accused of setting Seyfried up for failure.
Frazee had hired relatives of an employee and Seyfried was informed that he was being replaced and that his days were over. The suit also claims that Seyfried helped employees who complained about sexual harassment by another manager. However, the manager was transferred to another location and returned. Seyfried then suffered retaliation.
According to the lawsuit, Seyfried was hacked to death by co-workers, had his phone manipulated and had his work sabotaged before an audit.
Seyfried had written to his colleague just days before he took his own life. The situation in the store is far from ideal [sic]It is completely inappropriate. This place is not safe. It is [sic] ugly.
He texted back, “Think the company we work at has done something to mine.” Interact with more undercover store security than customers. Union members work in tandem with management to get fired. This is totally outof control.
Seyfried left the company the next day and was replaced the same day by the person he believed was being hired to replace him. He committed suicide three days later.
Evan, who was regarded by his coworkers as the kindest person at the store, wasn’t protected. According to lawsuit allegations, Evan was the victim extreme harassment and Krogers objective negligence.
The suit also claims that employees raised concerns about Frazee’s conduct to the union representatives and to the ethics hotline, but nothing was done.
Despite having a publicized complaint process, the suit claimed that complaints were not investigated or heard. This led to his premature death.
The lawsuit contains 15 counts that allege violations of Ohio law.
This is a terrible case, regardless of the liability. However, the real question is whether Kroger thoroughly investigated the complaints, even those brought by Seyfrieds colleague at the ethics line, as well as whether there are legal grounds to hold Kroger liable.
However, the allegations in the case are only that. We cannot conclude that anyone was guilty of misconduct until the allegations have been proven in court.
Kroger employees announced earlier this month that they would be holding a nationwide protest on the anniversary Seyfrieds death in order to demand that Kroger takes responsibility for Seyfried’s suicide.
Employers should listen to and investigate all employee concerns. This is not happening in many workplaces.
Karen Michael is an attorney and president of Richmond-based KarenMichael PLC and author of “Stay Hired.” She can be reached at [email protected].
