A class-action lawsuit against HelloFresh and several staffing agencies has been amended with allegations of workplace abuse at a Newark, New Jersey distribution center. The case, originally filed in August 2024, names temporary workers as plaintiffs claiming systematic mistreatment including verbal abuse, physical assault, and discrimination based on national origin and ethnicity.
The amended complaint details specific allegations regarding bathroom access policies. According to the lawsuit, Hispanic workers were required to use a sign-out system and have their bathroom time monitored and limited by management, while non-Hispanic workers faced no such restrictions. One former employee reported experiencing incontinence and urinary tract infections due to being forced to hold his bladder for extended periods. The complaint alleges that some female workers were forced to urinate on themselves when denied bathroom access and brought multiple changes of clothes to work for this reason. The lawsuit also references an incident in which a manager allegedly used a baseball bat to menace workers regarding bathroom time.
Beyond bathroom policies, the complaint alleges workers faced discrimination in job assignments, with Hispanic employees being assigned the most difficult tasks. The lawsuit claims supervisors made racist remarks, discouraged Spanish language use, and selectively enforced a no-cellphone policy targeting Hispanic workers. The complaint further alleges instances of sexual harassment, including unwanted physical contact and exposure to pornographic material by supervisors.
The lawsuit also includes allegations of physical assault by managers, described as hitting workers, placing hands around their necks, and screaming in their ears. Workers claim these assaults were carried out in front of other employees to intimidate them into compliance. Additionally, the lawsuit alleges workers were denied medical treatment for job-related injuries.
HelloFresh denied all allegations, stating an internal investigation found the claims “entirely without merit.” The company’s written response to the lawsuit, filed in April 2025, rejected the allegations. Staffing agencies have sought to dismiss the case. A state court judge is scheduled to review the amended complaint on 23 October. The plaintiffs’ attorneys have characterized the situation as reflecting broader labor exploitation enabled by immigration enforcement vulnerabilities.
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