In a dramatic legal filing, a former employee of a California-based plastic surgery center has alleged severe workplace discrimination and harassment that ultimately forced him to resign. The complaint was filed by Michael Wasilewski on February 13, 2025, in the Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara, against Judy Madrigal & Associates LLC and Plastic Surgery Center, LLC. Wasilewski claims he faced racial and national origin discrimination due to his Polish heritage and disability discrimination linked to his PTSD.
The lawsuit details how Wasilewski, a veteran with military training as a Surgical Technologist, began working at the Plastic Surgery Center in August 2015. Under the supervision of Dr. Michael M. Papalian, he alleges enduring derogatory comments about his Polish background and being subjected to demeaning tasks not required of other employees. The situation reportedly escalated when a coworker threatened him in March 2023, followed by vandalism of his personal property in October 2023. Despite informing his employers about his PTSD diagnosis and requesting accommodations for his mental health condition, Wasilewski asserts that no protective measures were taken.
Wasilewski's complaint accuses the defendants of multiple violations under California law, including race and national origin discrimination (Cal. Govt. Code §12940(a)), disability discrimination (Cal. Govt. Code §12940(a)), failure to accommodate physical disability (Cal. Govt. Code §12940(m)), failure to engage in the interactive process (Cal. Govt. Code §12940(n)), FEHA retaliation (Cal. Govt. Code §12940(h)), failure to prevent discrimination and retaliation (Cal. Govt. Code §12940(k)), constructive wrongful termination in violation of public policy, failure to pay earned wages (Cal. Lab. Code §§204, 206), failure to furnish compliant wage statements (Cal. Lab. Code §§226), waiting time penalties (Cal. Lab. Code §§201-203), intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligent infliction of emotional distress, and unfair competition (Cal Bus & Prof Code §17200).
Wasilewski is seeking compensatory damages exceeding $138,000 for lost wages and benefits due to what he describes as an intolerable work environment that exacerbated his PTSD symptoms and forced him into resignation on November 6, 2023. He also seeks punitive damages for emotional distress caused by the defendants' actions.
The case is represented by attorneys Yvette Nelson from RD Law Group APC based in Los Angeles, CA., while it will be presided over by judges from the Superior Court of California in Santa Clara County under Case No: 25CV458865.