Monica Dawidowicz, who worked at Shen from 2020 to 2023, mentioned that Ms. Richards had a habit of yelling at employees, with some instances of screaming at the top of her lungs. Another former employee, Carrie Lindsey, expressed that working at Shen had negatively impacted her mental and physical well-being, likening it to an abusive relationship.
Ms. Richards declined to comment on the allegations of yelling at employees or using offensive language.
Samson Smith, a former employee, quit after stating he had “had enough,” highlighted Ms. Richards’ disparaging remarks towards people of color. He recalled Ms. Richards making discriminatory comments regarding hiring individuals who were overweight or of Black ethnicity.
Another employee, speaking on the condition of anonymity, shared a similar experience of Ms. Richards making derogatory comments.
In response to these accusations, Ms. Richards stressed her commitment to diversity and inclusion, stating that most of her personally chosen hires were people of color or part of the L.G.B.T.Q.+ community.
Furthermore, some employees reported instances of inappropriate touching by a manager at work. One employee mentioned that the manager had slapped his butt, while another stated the manager had groped her breasts. Despite complaints, the manager was initially fired but was eventually rehired by Ms. Richards.
Ms. Richards admitted to rehiring the employee and expressed regret for giving her a second chance.
