KANSAS CITY — A former cook at a downtown Kansas City cafe has filed a federal lawsuit alleging she was subjected to race and sex discrimination, sexual harassment and retaliation before being wrongfully terminated last year.
Seannise N. Rhodes filed the complaint Feb. 11 in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri against Compass Group USA, which does business as Canteen and was formerly known as Myron Green Corporation.
According to the complaint, Rhodes, 32, a Black woman with dark skin and hair, worked as a non-exempt cook at the 1055 Broadway Cafe in Kansas City, Missouri, from 2017 until March 24, 2025. The cafe was operated by Compass Group USA.
The lawsuit states that on or about Jan. 13, 2025, the company assigned a new manager and chef, John Maxwell, described in the complaint as a Caucasian male, to the 1055 Broadway Cafe.
Rhodes alleges that almost immediately after Maxwell became her supervisor, she began experiencing what she describes as pervasive race and sex discrimination and sexual harassment that created a hostile work environment.
The complaint alleges that on an almost daily basis, Maxwell was rude and physically aggressive, created food safety and hygiene issues by placing hot grease and caustic chemicals in her work area and near food and assigned her unfavorable work tasks.
Rhodes alleges that his conduct included purposeful invasions of her personal space in the kitchen and unnecessary physical contact in a hostile and forceful manner, which she characterizes as sexual harassment intended to insult her and demonstrate dominance and hostility.
Rhodes contends that the alleged discrimination and harassment were severe, affected the conditions of her employment and caused her embarrassment and anxiety.
On Feb. 21, 2025, Maxwell allegedly wrote Rhodes up for what were described as unexcused absences on dates that preceded his transfer to the cafe and for days she says had already been excused by the district operations manager or when the cafe was closed due to weather.
Rhodes alleges those disciplinary actions were unfounded.
The complaint states that on or about March 19, 2025, Rhodes complained to Maxwell in the presence of a co-worker about what she described as repeated invasions of her personal space and physical aggression.
The following day, according to the lawsuit, Maxwell demanded that she crawl into a grease trap to clean it.
Rhodes refused, stating in the complaint that the task was not one she had ever performed during her employment, that such work was typically done by professional service contractors and that it was dangerous and unsafe.
Four days later, on March 24, 2025, Rhodes was terminated.
The complaint alleges Maxwell created a false write-up asserting that she had manipulated the time clock while on lunch and breaks and that she was insubordinate for refusing to clean the grease trap.
Rhodes contends those reasons were false and pretextual and that her termination was retaliatory.
Before filing suit, Rhodes filed charges of discrimination with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on or about April 22, 2025, alleging discrimination based on race, color, sex and retaliation.
The EEOC issued Notices of Right to Sue on or about Nov. 28, 2025.
The Missouri Commission on Human Rights issued its own Notices of Right to Sue on or about Jan. 6.
The lawsuit states that Rhodes filed the federal action within 90 days of receiving those notices and that she has satisfied all administrative prerequisites.
As a result of the alleged conduct, Rhodes claims she suffered lost wages and future income, lost benefits, emotional pain, suffering, humiliation, inconvenience, mental anguish and loss of enjoyment of life.
Rhodes is seeking compensatory and punitive damages, lost wages and benefits, attorney’s fees and a jury trial. She is represented by Garrett M. Hodes of Hodes Law Firm in Liberty.
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri case number: 4:26-cv-00113
