Story Archive

Rolling in It

Rich Clem, an employee at Case Pork Roll Co. in Trenton, N.J., opted for gastric bypass surgery to lose weight after reaching 420 pounds. Clem suffers severe side effects from the surgery, including “extreme gas and uncontrollable diarrhea,” according to a lawsuit filed by Clem’s wife Louann, who worked at Case with Rich. But rather than sue the doctor, the lawsuit is against Case.“We have to do something about Rich,” the suit claims Case President Thomas Dolan told Louann. “This can’t go on.” Rich and Louann both filed discrimination complaints with the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, claiming Rich was fired because of his extreme flatulence. When the EEOC didn’t back them up, Louann filed the lawsuit. Owner Tom Grieb, though, says that the allegations aren’t true. “Business wasn’t good. They didn’t want to take a pay cut and walked out,” he said. “Neither one were fired.” Grieb says everyone, including himself, took a pay cut, but the couple quit instead. (MS/Somerville Courier News) ...Cut the cheese or cut the pay: that will be the decision for the jury.