Justin Timberlake is facing legal action from an ex-employee who has filed a sexual discrimination lawsuit against two of the managers at his New York restaurant.

In papers filed on Thursday at Manhattan Supreme Court, Alison McDaniel, a former manager at Southern Hospitality, accuses Timberlake's business partners Eytan Sugarman and Ronnie Kaplan of "vile and discriminatory conduct".

The suit states, "One or more of Southern Hospitality's owners and/or executive managers bullied, degraded, harassed and ultimately discharged McDaniel... because of her gender. In at least one instance, defendants Sugarman and Kaplan viewed... pornography while in a locked room with McDaniel and made fun of her when she began crying."

McDaniel claims she was fired from the eaterie after writing to bosses to complain of harassment.

The lawsuit names Timberlake as an owner and defendant but does not state he was directly involved in any of the alleged incidents.

A representative for the restaurant says, "We will vigorously defend any allegations of wrongdoing or improper behaviour."