Sacramento Brewery Employee Alleges Harassment and Retaliation
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A former Fort Rock Brewing employee, Winther, says she was fired after she raised concerns about harassment and a disability. Winther also claims the brewery failed to pay all wages due to her. Gloria Winther filed her lawsuit in Sacramento County Superior Court on March 13, 2026, alleging wrongful termination, retaliation, sexual harassment, disability discrimination, and a failure to pay wages on time.
Case: Winther v. Fort Rock Brewing, Inc., et al.
Court: Sacramento County Superior Court
Case No.: 26CV006550
Fort Rock Brewing’s CEO describes a much smaller dispute: an employee who stopped coming to work after three weeks and a payroll error worth about $18. The company later responded to this lawsuit, and a second one, by filing for bankruptcy. None of the allegations have been tested in court.
What Does Gloria Winther Allege Against Fort Rock Brewing?
According to Inc.’s reporting on the complaint, Winther alleges wrongful termination, retaliation, sexual harassment, disability discrimination, unfair compensation, and failure to pay wages in a timely manner. She seeks damages tied to the alleged harassment, retaliation, disability discrimination, and meal-break violations, along with lost wages, emotional distress damages, attorney fees, statutory penalties, and punitive damages. The complaint does not state a total dollar figure.
Who Filed the Case, and Who Is Named in It?
Gloria Winther filed the complaint on March 13, 2026, in Sacramento County Superior Court. The defendants are Fort Rock Brewing, Inc., Daryl Hopkins, and unnamed Doe defendants. Judge Julie G. Yap is assigned to the case in Department 8D, and Fort Rock Brewing filed an answer on April 8, 2026. A second former employee filed a separate wrongful termination lawsuit against the brewery in June 2026.
How Does Fort Rock Brewing Respond to the Claims?
Thomas Fuquay, the brewery’s co-founder and CEO, told Inc. that Winther worked about three weeks before she stopped coming to work, and that the company took her off the schedule. He described the wage dispute behind her claim as a good-faith payroll error of about $18, and said she was seeking $220,000 over it. He also pointed to the high cost of defending an employment lawsuit in California as a reason the company later filed for bankruptcy.
Fuquay’s public comments address the attendance and wage dispute. Coverage of the case does not include a response from him or the company addressing the harassment or disability discrimination allegations specifically.
What Has the Court Decided, and Where Does the Case Stand?
No court has ruled on Winther’s claims. The Sacramento Superior Court’s public docket shows the complaint, the brewery’s answer, and an initial case management conference scheduled for January 26, 2027. In August 2026, Fort Rock Brewing responded to this lawsuit and the second employee’s lawsuit by filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, which the docket shows paused the state court proceedings. Nothing in the record reflects a finding of liability on any of Winther’s claims.
Why Does the Winther Case Matter to California Employees?
This case was filed in Sacramento County, and the claims reflect common issues California workers face in the workplace: harassment, disability discrimination, retaliation, and wage issues. California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act prohibits harassment and discrimination based on disability and requires employers to take reasonable steps to prevent both. It also prohibits firing or disciplining an employee for reporting either.
The wage side of the case reminds us that small-sounding disputes still carry real remedies. California law entitles workers to statutory penalties, and sometimes attorneys’ fees, when final wages are not paid on time, in addition to the wages themselves. An employer’s account of a dispute and an employee’s do not have to match for a claim to have merit. That disagreement is exactly what discovery, and if necessary a trial, exists to sort out.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is disability discrimination according to California labor law?
A: According to California labor law, disability discrimination is behavior that occurs when an employer treats an employee unfavorably because of a physical or mental disability, or fails to provide a reasonable accommodation and engage in a good-faith conversation about one. California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act prohibits both actions.
Q: What is legally considered sexual harassment in the workplace?
A: In a California workplace, unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature, or conduct based on sex, that is severe or pervasive enough to create a hostile work environment, or that is tied to a job benefit or consequence, would all be considered sexual harassment. California law prohibits sexual harassment in the workplace (regardless of employer size).
Q: Can an employee pursue an employment law claim over a small wage error?
A: Yes, even a small wage error can result in an employment law claim. California law entitles workers to statutory penalties for late final wages beyond just the amount owed, so disputes that start small can still carry significant penalties, particularly if wages went unpaid for an extended period.
Q: Does an employer’s bankruptcy filing end a pending lawsuit against the company?
A: No, bankruptcy does not erase pending claims against a company, but the bankruptcy’s automatic stay typically “pauses” the lawsuit. If a company responds to allegations by filing for bankruptcy, an employment law attorney can help California workers seek resolution of their claim through the bankruptcy process.
Do you have questions about a workplace harassment, disability discrimination, or wrongful termination claim in California? Please contact Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik DeBlouw LLP. Knowledgeable employment law attorneys are ready to assist you in various law firm offices in Riverside, San Francisco, Sacramento, San Diego, and Los Angeles.
