Costco Employee Alleges Retaliation After Reporting Harassment

A woman from the Bronx is claiming she was let go from Costco after reporting that her supervisor was allegedly sexually harassing her.

According to a lawsuit filed on October 1 in Manhattan Supreme Court, the woman, who wishes to remain anonymous, states that she was terminated from her position at the East Harlem Costco in January 2025 after having worked there for two years. She alleges that her direct supervisor, Andrea Mills, created a “hostile environment” that prompted her to speak out.

The alleged inappropriate behavior from Mills reportedly began during a meeting in October 2024 when she critiqued the employee’s attire, specifically her Costco crew neck uniform.

When another supervisor sought clarification on the issue, Mills allegedly responded by shouting, “You’re a very busty woman!”

Further incidents included Mills approaching the employee at the cash register during a shift, invading her personal space, and singing to her that she was “the most beautiful girl in the room,” as noted in the complaint.

The employee claims that Mills kept harassing her, attempting to make her uncomfortable enough to quit, though the reasons behind that belief are not entirely clear. While she never actually resigned, she did request to leave work early multiple times because of her discomfort around Mills, and she took at least one approved day off.

The accuser asserts that she expressed her concerns verbally to other managers at least five times and formally reported the harassment, yet no actions were taken in response to her complaints.

In fact, she claims she overheard another supervisor referring to her as a “troublemaker” for raising issues, and one of her performance reviews purportedly included the comment: “[She] needs to stop thinking people are attacking her.”

The situation escalated in December 2024 when the two women allegedly argued over the handling of a customer outburst at the register. Both were sent home following the confrontation, but in January 2025, only the woman was terminated, which she attributes to retaliatory motives.

No comments have been made by Mills, the plaintiff’s attorney, or Costco regarding the allegations.