CHARLESTON – A former Chuck E. Cheese employee says she had to quit her job because of ongoing sexual harassment at the family-oriented eatery.
Kylie Wright filed her complaint August 21 in Kanawha Circuit Court against CEC Entertainment doing business as Chuck E. Cheese’s. Ryan Slade, who was Wright’s manager, also is named as a defendant.
Wright, who was 17 when she began working at the restaurant in November 2022, says she experienced grooming, unwanted touching and sexually inappropriate comments from Slade and other male co-workers at the store in Charleston’s Southridge area.
Bailess
| File photo
“Our client was a teenager when she was subjected to egregious behavior at Chuck E. Cheese, a place that markets itself as a fun, family-friendly environment,” Todd Bailess, one of the attorneys representing Wright, told The West Virginia Record. “Workplace sexual harassment should not be tolerated in this or any other setting.
“Despite her age, Kylie was forced to endure persistent sexual harassment. We are determined to hold Chuck E. Cheese accountable and strive to make it a safer restaurant for its employees and the community.”
According to the complaint, Wright was attending Lincoln County High School when she began working at the restaurant. She says was propositioned for sex by Slade and another male employee, received constant feedback about her body and appearance and repeatedly experienced unwanted touching of her body.
Wright says Slade tried to groom her for a sexual relationship, first telling her she looked “gorgeous,” among other comments about her appearance, and asking her personal questions that she says made her uncomfortable.
She says the unprofessional behavior escalated when she went to Slade to report the inappropriate actions of fellow employee Dakota Harper, who propositioned her for sex during an employee Christmas party.
“He is not the only one who wants to sleep with you,” Slade told Wright, according to the complaint. Wright says Slade was referring to himself.
Wright also claims she was physically violated by Slade while working when he smacked the back of her thigh, rubbed her hips, grabbed her hands and brushed up against her body on different occasions during the nine months she worked at the restaurant.
One night, Wright says Slade followed her into the parking lot at the end of her shift and tried to convince her that she liked him. On another occasion, she says Slade told her that if he didn’t have a fiancé and kids or he was her boss, he would take her to dinner.
Other incidents described in the complaint include Slade grabbing Wright’s hand and sliding a fake diamond ring from the store’s prize section on her finger as well as him calling female co-workers bitches and multiple times when she caught Slade staring at her “with no eye contact break.”
In July 2023, Wright says her mother contacted Chuck E. Cheese’s corporate guest relations to report the predatory and sexually hostile work environment that her underage daughter experienced. The mother told them her daughter had “come home very upset (over her manager’s) remarks and touching.”
The complaint says corporate didn’t follow up on the allegations for at least two days, forcing Wright to quit her job.
Wright accuses the defendants of sexual harassment, creating a hostile work environment and construction discharge. She says she has suffered loss of dignity, aggravation, humiliation, embarrassment and emotional distress.
She seeks compensatory damages, punitive damages, pre- and post-judgment interests, court costs, attorney fees and other relief.
Wright is being represented by Bailess, Jodi R. Durham and Cory B. Lowe of the Bailess Law Firm in Charleston. The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge Tera Salango.
Kanawha Circuit Court case number 24-C-898