My name is Sarah Emery Lindsley.  I am a single mother of a son active in the U.S. Navy.  I have spent the better part of my life raising my son as a single mother starting my career as a server for restaurants in the Omni Hotel chain.  Over nearly 20 years with Omni, I worked my way up to being one of the few, if any, female Directors and Executives in the Omni Food & Beverage Division.  While the hours were long and the job took me away from my son at times, I worked tirelessly to be able to provide a beautiful life for my son, my dogs and me.  That was ripped away from me once I raised issues of equal pay and opportunity for myself and other women in the Omni organization.  Soon after raising my complaints, Omni stripped me of my responsibilities and drove me out of the position I worked hard to obtain.....despite the numerous achievements and awards I earned from Omni right up until I asked for equal pay and a promotion. 

Even after the Federal Government investigated my claims and determined I was in fact discriminated against, Omni refused to do the right thing and forced me to file a lawsuit against them.  Since that time, and despite hundreds of job applications, I've been unable to secure permanent work at any level.  I've moved around the country while fighting Omni in the hopes that I can find a new beginning, but I have been unsuccessful in securing work that can keep a roof over my head and food on the table.  I lost my job, my home, my health insurance, my car, and at times my spirit.  I have taken jobs serving tables and making food deliveries to try to keep myself afloat.  I've spent every last dollar I had on getting a used car to be able to work and whatever housing I could find.  After living out of my car and exhausting the couches of friends willing to take me in with my dogs, I just drove 16 hours to a friend's home to hopefully find opportunity.  Instead, my dog was attacked and I was asked to leave.   I will again be homeless after working all my life and losing everything I built. 

Very few shelters are willing to take someone with their pets and I cannot bring myself to put my dogs up for adoption or in a shelter, they are in many ways the only thing keeping me going.  They also provide me some safety when sleeping in my car.  I have had to come off medications cold turkey because the loss of insurance and inability to afford them. 

My trial against Omni is scheduled for February and I have faith that a jury will see how they mistreated me and others.  Witnesses have come forward to support me but even if I win, it is clear to me that Omni will only appeal the decision and drag this out for years to come.  I cannot give up the fight, but I have to survive.  I've reached out to organizations for help and they are doing all that they can to help me get medical care, resources and a job, but right now I am once again living out of a car that requires constant repairs because I lost my first car.

I want to thank anyone who reads this and decides to help.  I have mentored women throughout my career and it humbles me to now have to ask for help.  I know I will one day be back on my feet and will definitely pay it forward and help those in need.....in particular the homeless. 

I am attaching a link to the New York Times story on my lawsuit and a local television news story that ran in Dallas/Ft. Worth, where Omni is headquartered.    

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/12/business/sexual-harassment-human-resources.html

https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/tarrant-county/lawsuit-alleges-sexual-harassment-glass-ceiling-at-omni-hotels/486138637