SOUTH PLAINFIELD -- A Pizza Hut manager subjected three Egyptian-American workers to multiple acts of discrimination, according to a federal lawsuit.

The suit, filed in September, says Karen Ryan took over as area manager in January 2015, overseeing Pizza Hut restaurants in Edison and South Plainfield.

She referred to Joseph Hafez, general manager of the Edison store, and employee Ahmed Ahmed, general manager of the South Plainfield store, as "brothers" because they are both Egyptian, the suit said.

Ryan also made discriminatory remarks toward Hispanic workers.

When Hafez introduced Ryan to a shift manager named Segundo, she said, "Segundo? What kind of name is that? We name people John, Jason. This is America."

At a meeting in April 2015, Ryan asked Hafez to try a new product, a hot-dog stuffed-crust pizza. Hafez told her that as a Muslim, he couldn't eat pork. Ryan said, according to the suit, "That's a stupid religion."

When Hafez confronted Ryan in June of that year, she held two meetings in which she screamed and belittled him, the lawsuit said. Hafez was fired in September.

Ahmed, who is also a plaintiff in the suit, said Ryan forced him to clear a junk pile from the back of his store, causing the 63-year-old to suffer a double hernia. After Hafez was fired, Ryan spoke to Ahmed to make sure he wouldn't support Hafez's discrimination claims.

"That wouldn't be good for you," Ryan said, according to the suit.

Ahmed's back continued to trouble him in September. A doctor told him to refrain from heavy lifting, the suit said.

Regardless, Ryan ordered him to lift several heavy dough pans, and, according to the suit, laughed as he struggled. Ahmed was fired in October.

Ahmed Elsafti, a former employee at the South Plainfield store, was also fired in September. Ryan allegedly discriminated against him as well.

Ryan could not be reached for comment. A worker at the South Plainfield store said no one by her name worked there. Pizza Hut did not immediately respond to a request for comment, either.

The suit accuses Ryan and Pizza Hut of discrimination and retaliation in violation of federal and state laws. Their suit calls for a jury trial and damages.

All three men are represented by Zach Holzberg of the Derek Smith Law Group in New York.

Myles Ma may be reached at mma@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MylesMaNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.