A federal lawsuit against the No Name Sports Bar in Sebastian has been filed. The plaintiffs, Caitlin Leeds and Yesenia Morales, former employees of the bar, have brought the case to the United States District Court.
The lawsuit accuses the business owners, Damien H. Gilliams, Bonnie Fey Gilliams, and their son Damien Lee Fey Gilliams, of violations against The Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990, The Civil Rights Act of 1964, and The Florida Civil Rights Act of 1992.
Both plaintiffs allege that after their dismissal, they were refused their last paychecks and subjected to discriminatory comments about their medical conditions.
Yesenia Morales, the first plaintiff, began her role as a bartender in August 2023. Residing just a mile from the establishment, she usually walked to work. The lawsuit reveals she has hypoglycemia.
On January 9, 2024, while walking to work, Miss Morales experienced a low blood sugar-induced medical emergency. She was discovered unconscious beside U.S. Highway 1 and was transported by ambulance to Cleveland Clinic in Vero Beach for treatment. Within an hour of her admission, she contacted her employer to inform them of her condition.
However, the next day, after she returned home from the hospital, Morales was terminated from her position at the sports bar due to her medical condition, according to the lawsuit. She received a text message summoning her to a meeting with Damien H. Gilliams at the bar. At this meeting, he allegedly expressed discomfort with her, telling her, “We are not comfortable with you working here if you’re gonna be passing out,” and further stated, “Your medical condition makes you unreliable.”
Following her dismissal, the lawsuit claims that the defendants consistently refused to issue Morales her final paycheck. Despite numerous attempts to either regain her job or receive payment for work already completed, her efforts were met with no success.
Caitlin Leeds, the second plaintiff in the federal lawsuit, served as a bartender at the same establishment. Diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (M.S.), Leeds experienced a significant episode on April 30, 2024, during her scheduled shift, which caused intense pain and loss of muscle control. A coworker stepped in to cover for her for the remainder of her shift. Court documents note that she went home to recover until the episode subsided.
The following day, Leeds received a text from Damien H. Gilliams, notifying her of a week-long suspension due to the medical incident. Approximately a day later, Damien Lee Fey Gilliams, his son, contacted her, insisting, “Nobody who works at No Name should leave work early unless it’s in an ambulance.”
Later in the week, Damien H. Gilliams reached out via text to discuss her suspension, and they arranged a meeting at the bar. During this meeting, he allegedly informed her that the medical incident was grounds for suspension and that Leeds should be happy she didn’t get fired.
According to court records, Leeds returned to work after her suspension, only to find she was not scheduled for the upcoming week. Shortly after that, Damien H. Gilliams allegedly texted her again, requesting a meeting to discuss his discomfort with her continued employment, given her medical condition.
Court documents reveal that Leeds was fired and berated by both Damien H. Gilliams and son Damien Lee Fey Gilliams as Bonnie Fey Gilliams “sat and watched.” After her termination, she attempted to receive her last paycheck, which was denied.
The lawsuit seeks compensatory damages of $15,000 each, punitive damages of $1,000,000, plus legal costs and fees. U.S. District Court Judge Aileen M. Cannon is assigned to preside over the case.
You can read a copy of the case filed in the United States District Court by clicking here.