A former Six Flags Magic Mountain employee has filed a $25 million lawsuit against the park and its parent company over alleged racial discrimination and wrongful termination.
Charles Winters, a Black man and Los Angeles resident, filed the multimillion-dollar complaint in Los Angeles Superior Court on July 2. He worked at the Valencia, California, park for nearly three years, from November 2022 to July 2025.
Details on what Charles Winters allegedly experienced as a Six Flags employee
During his time with the company, Winters claimed he faced “repeated and consistent discrimination and/or harassment” based on his “race, ethnicity and/or national origin,” according to the lawsuit obtained by People and The Independent.
Winters described his experience working as a food service team member at the park. He said park security repeatedly asked him for his employee identification even though he was wearing his uniform. As part of his job, Winters said he was often tasked with cleaning during downtime.
He claimed that he and other Black coworkers were required to “be on their hands and knees” to clean floors, refrigerators and other surfaces, while their white counterparts “were given the less strenuous job of waiting at the cash register for any customers that came,” the complaint states.
During his employment, Winters alleged the park showed a “distinct preference for non-African American employees,” stating that around 20 to 30 Black employees were fired over a three-year span. Meanwhile, non-Black employees had a lower turnover rate, according to the complaint.
Winters also alleged that he and other Black employees were excluded from the company’s December 2024 Christmas party. He said he was unaware of the event until he saw a notice posted on the employee bulletin board. When Winters asked a supervisor about the party, the person told him it had been canceled. However, he later learned from a fellow employee that the holiday event took place as planned.
In January 2025, Winters alleged Black employees were “subject to micromanagement” that non-Black employees “were not subject to.” Additionally, Black employees were allegedly pressured to upsell souvenirs and “threatened” with “discipline” if they failed to do so, according to the lawsuit, per People.
Winters says park security encounter led to suspension and termination
The lawsuit also centers on an incident that allegedly occurred on June 21, 2025. Winters said he remained at the park for about an hour after closing and exited through the employee wardrobe department.
Although he said he was wearing his employee badge around his neck, Winters alleged a white security guard questioned him excessively and that “it was clear” he was subjected to “offensive scrutiny just because he was African American.”
Winters claimed the encounter intensified after the security guard called sheriff’s deputies “for no legitimate reason.” He said he showed deputies his employee badge, and they cleared him to leave. Winters later reported the incident to the park’s human resources department.
According to the lawsuit, Winters was later suspended without pay while the park investigated the incident. When he returned to work on July 3, 2025, he said management terminated him, alleging he “failed to cooperate with security” and “failed to show his badge,” per People and The Independent.
Winters named Six Flags, its parent company and two managers as defendants in the lawsuit, alleging they knew about the alleged conduct and did nothing to address it. He is seeking a jury trial and at least $25 million in damages for alleged racial discrimination, retaliation, wrongful termination, defamation and other claims.