MIAMI – A former Five Guys employee last month sued the burger chain, alleging she was subjected to “unwelcome sexual harassment and unwanted sexual advances” by a manager.
Plaintiff Queenasha Frink, a Miami resident, filed her lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida Oct. 31. The named defendants include Five Guys Operations LLC and Five Guys Holdings Inc.
Frink, a 37-year-old Black female, claims the male manager’s “continuing, severe, and pervasive” advances created a hostile work environment and violated the U.S. Civil Rights Act and the Florida Civil Rights Act, or FCRA.
“Five Guys’ management knew about the unlawful sexual harassment against Frink between approximately September 2023 and May 2024 – including but not limited to because of Frink’s express objections to and rejections of Patrick Levasseur’s unwanted sexual advances even before Frink escalated her complaints to Defendants beginning in approximately mid-April 2024 – but Five Guys failed to take corrective action to address the unlawful harassment against Frink,” her 27-page filing states.
According to her complaint, Frink was hired as an hourly shift lead in August 2023. She worked at the Biscayne Boulevard, Miami, location. Her supervisor was Levasseur.
Frink alleges Levasseur stated verbally or sent her messages – often late at night – such as “nice boobs,” “can we go out for drinks,” “what kind of panties are you wearing,” “how do you look in your panties and bra,” and “what type of things turn you on.”
Levasseur even asked Frink to send him a picture of herself in the shower, she alleges.
Frink claims she repeatedly rejected his advances, and “expressly objected to and complained” to him about his harassment.
According to her filing, Levasseur also repeatedly disparaged Black people, often referring to her as “you people.” He often stated Haitian individuals, like himself, have a “better work ethic” and “that’s why Haitian people keep their jobs.”
Frink claims she objected to the discriminatory comments and told him belittling Black workers because of their race was “untrue, offensive, and should not continue in the workplace.”
However, his comments did not stop, she contends.
Frink eventually complained to Five Guys’ District Manager Janet Nunez in April 2024.
The next month, Frink was notified by Levasseur that her employment was being terminated. Levasseur told her it was because she had her daughter at the restaurant.
Frink notes in her complaint that between August 2023 and May 2024, she performed her job duties as a shift lead for the burger chain “satisfactorily.”
Following her termination, Frink reached out to Debra Blackmon at Five Guys’ human resources department. She told Blackmon she believed she was retaliated against for having refused and complained about Levasseur’s advances and harassment.
Blackmon told Frink she was unaware of her termination and agreed to investigate further, Frink alleges. Soon after, Blackmon arranged a transfer because she could not cancel Frink’s termination, as it was already in process.
On May 23, 2024, Five Guys sent Frink to work at a location at Buena Vista Boulevard, Miami. The general manager there, Tiffany Jones, allegedly told Frink she “had to be careful” moving forward working for the chain.
On July 1, 2024, Nunez notified Frink her employment was being terminated, citing “multiple complaints” about Frink’s work performance.
“The reasons proffered and/or relied upon by Five Guys in July 2024 for terminating Frink’s employment were false and known to be false by Defendants at the time of Plaintiff’s termination and instead were a pretext for unlawful disparate treatment and discrimination because of Frink’s sex/gender, Female, national origin-ethnicity, African American/Black, and retaliation against Frink in violation of Title VII and FCRA,” the complaint states.
In November 2024, Frink filed a charge of discrimination against Five Guys with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Florida Commission on Human Relations. In August 2025, the EEOC issued a notice of right to sue. However, as of Oct. 31, 2025, the FCHR had not issued a determination.
“Frink has suffered lost earnings and employment benefits, emotional distress, loss of self-esteem and damages as a result of Five Guys’ violations,” her complaint states.
She seeks back pay, employment benefits, other compensation including bonuses, compensatory damages, front pay, punitive damages, injunctive relief, interest, and attorney’s fees and costs.
The Law Office of Keith M. Stern PA in Miami is representing Frink in the action.
