Ana Baez, a former employee of a popular California restaurant chain, has filed a lawsuit alleging discrimination and harassment in the workplace. The complaint was filed by Baez on November 20, 2025, in the Superior Court of California for the County of Santa Clara against WH Breakfast DBA Uncle John’s Pancake House and its owner Matthew Westley.
The lawsuit paints a troubling picture of Baez’s employment experience at Uncle John’s Pancake House. According to the complaint, Ana Baez, a 58-year-old Mexican woman, began working as General Manager at the restaurant in April 2017. She alleges that throughout her tenure, she faced discriminatory remarks from Matthew Westley regarding her age and ethnicity. For instance, when Baez expressed interest in working at a new restaurant location, Westley allegedly responded with ageist comments such as “I’m only hiring younger individuals.” Furthermore, Baez claims that she was subjected to public humiliation when Westley berated her in front of staff and customers.
The allegations extend beyond verbal abuse. The complaint details an incident where Westley allegedly grabbed Baez by the arm aggressively while questioning her work performance. Despite reporting these incidents to Westley himself via text message, no action was taken to address or rectify the situation. Instead, Westley purportedly attempted to coerce Baez into signing a settlement release related to an assault incident by tying it to her medical leave approval.
Baez also accuses another coworker, Alejandro Castellanos, of harassment after hours with unsolicited inappropriate messages. Despite bringing this issue to Westley’s attention in January 2023, no corrective measures were taken against Castellanos.
In addition to personal grievances, Baez alleges systemic issues within the company culture that fostered discrimination based on race and gender. She recounts overhearing conversations between Westley and his business partner Glen Thompson that disparaged Mexican workers and undermined female authority figures like herself.
Baez is seeking various forms of relief from the court including general damages for emotional distress caused by harassment and discrimination; special damages for lost income due to wrongful termination; punitive damages intended to punish and deter future misconduct; attorney fees; costs incurred during litigation; and any other relief deemed appropriate by the court.
Representing Ana Baez are attorneys Lori J. Costanzo (SBN 142633), Luiza V. Dias (SBN 320629), and Frank Zeccola (SBN 308875) from Costanzo Law Firm located in San Jose, CA. The case is being heard under Case No.: 25CV480456 with Judge L. Ayala presiding over initial reviews.
Source: 25CV48045_Ana_Baez_v_WH_Breakfast_Complaint_County_of_Santa_Clara_California.pdf
