NYC Waiter Says He was Fired from Trendy Restaurant Over HIV Status, Sues

A waiter who worked at a trendy restaurant in New York City's Chelsea neighborhood said he was fired because he's HIV-positive. He is now suing the eatery for unspecified damages, The New York Post reports.

Jack Mountford, 27, was a server at the popular Asian-fusion restaurant Buddakan, which has welcomed stars like Drake, Hugh Jackman and Bruce Springsteen. It also served as the location for for Carrie Bradshaw's engagement party in "Sex and the City." Mountford, an actor and dancer who started working at the eatery in 2013, told the newspaper he rose in the ranks at Buddakan, becoming their "go-to guy" and, at times, brought in $20,000 in sales a week.

According to the Manhattan federal court suit against Buddakan and the Starr Restaurant Organization, Mountford said he was fired last summer. After being diagnosed with HIV in 2010, Mountford said he informed his manager at the time about his status, in case he needed to fly home to Orlando, Fla. and meet with his medical team.

Buddakan officials allowed Mountford to take breaks in order to inject himself with medication in the stomach, according to the suit.

"I was a fast table turner and I was great with people. My sales were incredibly high," Mountford told The Post.

After a negative review in 2015 from Eater NY, the restaurant went under new management in 2016 with Buddakan's owner Starr Restaurants bringing in a new general manager, Brandon Wergeles. After returning from vacation in June 2016, coworkers told Mountford that Wergeles was meeting with managers to discuss Mountford's health.

A week later Mountford said he was confronted by Wergeles and two other managers, who told him he was a "huge asset" but "became a liability" because a customer claimed his credit card was charged twice, the court docs say. Mountford was also accused of taking an unauthorized vacation. Wergeles also said he "heard other things that were concerning," according to the suit. When Mountford asked if it had to do with being HIV-positive, Wergeles said: "Don't you think I should be made aware of a health condition that could be detrimental to your job performance?" according to the suit.

Speaking to The Post, Mountford said he felt "humiliated" and was fired. He added Wergeles "offered to write him a glowing recommendation" before escorting him out of the the restaurant. Mountford confessed he "broke down and cried" and denied overcharging the patron or taking an unauthorized vacation.

"It's Chelsea and the Meatpacking District," he told the newspaper. "I never expected to be in a position where a piece of my life that is so personal and unrelated to my job performance was thrown in my face."

Mountford's lawyer Paul Liggieri added: "It's not the spread of HIV that [the] defendants should worry about, it's their spread of prejudice."