Richard Montes has filed a lawsuit against Summit Interconnect, Inc., alleging severe workplace misconduct. The complaint was lodged on February 5, 2025, in the Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara. Montes accuses his former employer, Summit Interconnect, Inc., of numerous violations including harassment and wrongful termination.
According to the lawsuit, Richard Montes worked as a Production Scheduler for Summit Interconnect from April 1, 2019, until March 12, 2021. During this period, he claims to have faced continuous harassment based on his sex and sexual orientation by coworkers and supervisors. Notably, he alleges that the Human Resources manager made unwanted sexual advances towards him and mocked him with comments like "I like a man that has drive..." in a suggestive manner. Despite rejecting these advances consistently, Montes states that no action was taken by the company when he reported these incidents.
Montes further asserts that his complaints about unsafe working conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic were ignored. He believes that his termination was retaliatory due to his opposition to the harassment and unsafe work practices. The complaint details how nearly all HR personnel and an Acting Project Manager named Charles were allegedly complicit or attracted to the HR manager in question, which contributed to the hostile environment.
The lawsuit accuses Summit Interconnect of violating several laws under the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), including failure to prevent retaliation and discrimination. It also charges them with engaging in unfair business practices under California's Business & Professions Code §§ 17200-17208.
Montes is seeking damages for lost wages and benefits due to wrongful termination, as well as compensation for emotional distress caused by the alleged harassment. He also demands punitive damages against Summit Interconnect for their willful misconduct and failure to provide a safe working environment.
Representing Richard Montes are attorneys Rick Martin, Ji-Su Park, and Alex Federick from Angel City Law PC. The case is being reviewed under Case No.: 25CV458216 by Judge T. Phan at the Superior Court of California in Santa Clara County.