Rihanna Lawsuit She's Sexy, Because She's Not Too Dark

9/22/2015 6:34 AM PDT BY TMZ STAFF

Rihanna is "hot" because she's "not too dark" ... and that's what a guy claims was said in the firm that manages the singer's finances.

A fired employee claims the firm -- Flynn Family Office (FFO) had a sexist culture and comments were allegedly hurled that were racist. The fired employee claims one of the company's partners would say things like an assistant "lost points in [his] eyes because she was too dark."

FFO -- which also reps Kelly Ripa, designer Tory Burch and Katie Holmes -- also allegedly tolerated discussions about sex tourism and the relative "hotness" of Asian women.

And the suit claims there was loose talk about women, including comments such as a worker having an "ass of steel."

FFO is scoffing at the wrongful termination lawsuit, saying, "The complaint filed today is without merit, and we intend to defend vigorously against these baseless claims."