Former X-Factor contestant Katie Waissel is suing the boss of a health and fitness centre for sexual harassment, saying she was denied career progression for shunning his advances.
In court papers filed by the singer, Waissel claims that the gym manager took her to a number of restaurants and plied her with drinks as part of the ‘interview process’.
Waissel claimed she wasn’t aware this was not ordinary in the American hiring process.
Waissel during her time as a contestant on X-Factor in 2010.
The former contestant says that after she began working at the gym, her boss began to shower her with gifts, and insisted for paying for regular daily expenses, such as petrol and lunch. Katie claims she eventually gave-in to his sexual advances as she was “in an intoxicated state she felt as if she had no choice to succumb”.
According to the court documents, Katie claimed her boss was guilty of acting inappropriately towards her for his role as her manager, and that when she later lodged a complaint with her employer a promotion she had been promised was withdrawn.
Waissel has now filed a lawsuit against her former gym employers
Waissel is suing Equinox for being denied the opportunity to progress professionally and for sexual harassment in the workplace.
Equinox gym have not commented on the accusations made against them by the former X-Factor star.
Waissel moved to LA following her stint on X-Factor UK in 2010, where she was mentored by Cheryl Cole. She later married and divorced an actor in New York before moving to LA.
