SANTA ANA -- A former housekeeper for NBA superstar Kobe Bryant is suing the Lakers player and his wife Vanessa, claiming she was continually humiliated, demeaned, ridiculed and harassed while she worked for the Bryants at their home in Newport Beach.
Maria Jimenez, 48, filed the lawsuit Friday in Superior Court in Orange County, according to court spokeswoman Carole Levitsky.
Jimenez worked for the Bryant's from September 2007 to March 2008.
Shortly after she started working for the Bryants, Jimenez alleges Vanessa became verbally abusive.
Jimenez claims Vanessa called her "lazy, slow, dumb, a f---ing liar, and f---ing sh-t," and accused her of stealing personal items like clothing, toys and even Vanessa's dental retainer, according to court documents.
Jimenez says Vanessa "badgered, harassed and humiliated Maria by yelling and screaming at her and criticizing her in front of Kobe, the Bryants' children, employees and other people in the household," documents revealed.
Jimenez claims she threatened to quit, but Kobe persuaded her to stay on the job. Through Kobe's intervention, Vanessa apologized and Jimenez continued working for the Bryants for another seven months, according to the lawsuit.
Jimenez says on one occasion, one of the Bryants' children came to her for comfort because the child didn't feel well, but Vanessa screamed at her saying, "I don't want you to touch my baby. I hired you for housekeeping, not babysitting," the documents stated.
She also alleges Vanessa screamed at her after she put an expensive blouse in the washer and then ordered her to put her hand in a bag of dog feces to retrieve the price tag for the blouse.
Jimenez immediately said she quit, but Vanessa told her she had to pay for the blouse first. Jimenez says she had to work until payday to cover the cost of the $690 blouse, which she did.
Jimenez is seeking damages for wrongful termination, invasion of privacy, intentional infliction of emotional distress, breach of contract and unpaid overtime. Jimenez says she worked 60 hours a week for the Bryants, according to her attorney William K. Vogeler.
Jimenez wasn't fired but Vogeler said she was wrongly discharged because Bryant's wife made it impossible for her to continue working at the couple's home.
"She quit but because the working conditions were intolerable," attorney William Vogeler said. "We allege it was a violation of labor laws that protect people from working in unhealthy situations."
Vogeler said in addition to her salary, Jimenez was promised medical insurance, which she never received.
While working for the Bryants, Jimenez developed a medical condition which required surgery that cost $120,000, he said. The medical condition is on-going, Vogeler said.
Vogeler also says he tried to reach a settlement with the Bryants but attorneys for the basketball star refused to settle.
Maria Jimenez, 48, filed the lawsuit Friday in Superior Court in Orange County, according to court spokeswoman Carole Levitsky.
Jimenez worked for the Bryant's from September 2007 to March 2008.
Shortly after she started working for the Bryants, Jimenez alleges Vanessa became verbally abusive.
Jimenez claims Vanessa called her "lazy, slow, dumb, a f---ing liar, and f---ing sh-t," and accused her of stealing personal items like clothing, toys and even Vanessa's dental retainer, according to court documents.
Jimenez says Vanessa "badgered, harassed and humiliated Maria by yelling and screaming at her and criticizing her in front of Kobe, the Bryants' children, employees and other people in the household," documents revealed.
Jimenez claims she threatened to quit, but Kobe persuaded her to stay on the job. Through Kobe's intervention, Vanessa apologized and Jimenez continued working for the Bryants for another seven months, according to the lawsuit.
Jimenez says on one occasion, one of the Bryants' children came to her for comfort because the child didn't feel well, but Vanessa screamed at her saying, "I don't want you to touch my baby. I hired you for housekeeping, not babysitting," the documents stated.
She also alleges Vanessa screamed at her after she put an expensive blouse in the washer and then ordered her to put her hand in a bag of dog feces to retrieve the price tag for the blouse.
Jimenez immediately said she quit, but Vanessa told her she had to pay for the blouse first. Jimenez says she had to work until payday to cover the cost of the $690 blouse, which she did.
Jimenez is seeking damages for wrongful termination, invasion of privacy, intentional infliction of emotional distress, breach of contract and unpaid overtime. Jimenez says she worked 60 hours a week for the Bryants, according to her attorney William K. Vogeler.
Jimenez wasn't fired but Vogeler said she was wrongly discharged because Bryant's wife made it impossible for her to continue working at the couple's home.
"She quit but because the working conditions were intolerable," attorney William Vogeler said. "We allege it was a violation of labor laws that protect people from working in unhealthy situations."
Vogeler said in addition to her salary, Jimenez was promised medical insurance, which she never received.
While working for the Bryants, Jimenez developed a medical condition which required surgery that cost $120,000, he said. The medical condition is on-going, Vogeler said.
Vogeler also says he tried to reach a settlement with the Bryants but attorneys for the basketball star refused to settle.
