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Ex-Employee Sues EmBe for Wrongful Termination

As reported by Ellen Bardash in The Daily Republic, a former EmBe employee, Auranette Antaya, is suing the company for allegedly firing her as retaliation to her filing a worker’s compensation claim.

Antaya, who led after school and summer programs at EmBe’s Mitchell branch from July 2017 until her dismissal on Oct. 12, 2018, asserts in a complaint filed Thursday that the company fired her despite positive performance reviews and did not pay worker’s compensation or other legally entitled benefits in connection with a shoulder injury she sustained on the job.

The complaint alleges that multiple times, Angie Bakke, the chief care officer for EmBe, asked Antaya not to file for worker’s compensation for the injury, as doing so would “negatively impact the company.”

The complaint further states that when Bakke learned of the surgery, “working conditions, employer’s attitudes and job demands began to suddenly change.”

Antaya is suing for wrongful termination and retaliatory discharge, as well as for punitive damages. Her complaint argues that EmBe that she was fired in retaliation to her filing a worker’s compensation claim.

If you feel that you have been wrongfully terminated by your employer and would like to know your rights as an employee in the state of California, please contact the attorneys at the California Employment Legal Group today for a free consultation with an experienced employment lawyer.

CEO of Warner Bros. Steps Down After Allegations of Sexual Misconduct

Warner Bros. CEO Kevin Tsujihara has stepped down and is being investigated for sexual misconduct allegations regarding the sexual harassment of British actress Charlotte Kick. Tsujihara has allegedly been texting Kirk since 2013 saying that in exchange for sex, he pledges to get her acting roles in films. When asked if Tsujihara had ever sexually harassed her, Kirk responded with, “Mr. Tsujihara never promised me anything.”

WarnerMedia, owned by AT&T, is working with a third-party law firm in order to finish the investigation with cooperation from Tsujihara. He worked for WarnerMedia for over 24 years, and became CEO and chairman of the company in 2013. Tsujihara helped Warner Bros. see the most financially rewarding year it had ever seen in 2017.

AT&T acquired Time Warner in 2018, and despite Tsujihara not being formally convicted of sexual harassment, his departure from Warner Bros. has led management from AT&T who merged over from Time Warner to depart as well.

If you are experiencing sexual harassment in the workplace, please contact the attorneys at the California Employment Legal Group today for a free consultation with an experienced employment lawyer who will clearly explain your rights and options under the law.

 

 

Former Coach at Oak Ridge Wins Nearly $2M in Wrongful Termination Suit

John Edward Anderson, a former track and field coach at Oak Ridge High School in Tennessee won nearly $2 million in a wrongful termination and age discrimination lawsuit.

In April 2015, Anderson met with the former principal at Oak Ridge in order to discuss allegations regarding a school trip to South Carolina that had recently been brought up on the internet and concerned parents of the students.

Anderson was suspended from his track coach duties, and was told a week later that he would be suspended until May 11. Upon returning, he was given permission to continue at Oak Ridge only as an assistant coach until the end of the season.

Anderson met with the superintendent to attempt to explain the truth about the situation, but the superintendent wrongfully terminated him taking the internet’s word over Anderson’s word. Anderson was escorted off the grounds, and was told on the way out there was an allegation regarding him inappropriately touching a student 12 years before being terminated.

In Anderson’s lawsuit, he said he was discriminated against for his age when he drank wine in the presence of students on a trip to France, even though two other teachers had also been drinking wine and were not retaliated against in the same fashion he was.

If you have been wrongfully terminated by your employer, please contact the attorneys at the California Employment Legal Group today for a free consultation with an experienced employment lawyer who will clearly explain your rights and options under the law.

Chief Operating Officer Sues Olive Grove Charter for Wrongful Termination

Dawn Wilson, former Human Resources/Administrative Assistant of the Olive Grove Charter School has sued Olive Grove for wrongful termination, violation of California Labor Codes, and for imposing emotional distress intentionally.

The registered non-profit school’s CEO Laura Mudge calls Wilson’s claims “baseless,” and says Olive Grove intends to defend the lawsuit.

Wilson was promoted twice while working at Olive Grove, and remained in her full-time position of Controller and Chief Operating Officer until she was wrongfully terminated on July 31, 2018.

In early July 2018, Board President Bill Anaya requested that Wilson investigate a grade change to one of Mudge’s daughters grades. Mudge’s daughter had recently graduated from the school, and had been accepted to UC Santa Cruz. Wilson found that Mudge had changed her daughter’s grades, ultimately leading her daughter to get accepted.

Approximately a week after presenting her findings, Wilson was put on Administrative Leave by Mudge as retaliation, and then was notified of her termination from Olive Grove for violating school policy and performing her job poorly. No prior notification had been sent to Wilson about her job performance, leading her to sue for wrongful termination.

If you have been wrongfully terminated by your employer, please contact the attorneys at the California Employment Legal Group today for a free consultation with an experienced employment lawyer who will clearly explain your rights and options under the law.

Ex-Employee Sues Centra for $10M for Sexual Harassment and Wrongful Termination

Stephanie Hale, a former employee of Centra, is suing the company for $10 million after she was wrongfully terminated, and sexually harassed.

Hale formerly worked at the Amherst County substance abuse facility where she had met her former CEO, E.W. Tibbs at her orientation. Shortly after she started working at Centra, Hale started receiving sexually suggestive emails from a man named Ethan Thomas. One of the other female employees at Centra confirmed that Ethan Thomas was actually the CEO E.W. Tibbs, and that he had been sexually harassing her over email as well.

Hale confronted Tibbs about the sexual harassment, and was then forced to take unjustified drug tests. She was later wrongfully terminated in February of 2017 even after the drug test results came back negative.

If you are experiencing sexual harassment in the workplace or have been wrongfully terminated by your employer, please contact the attorneys at the California Employment Legal Group today for a free consultation with an experienced employment lawyer who will clearly explain your rights and options under the law.

 

Former CEO Files Wrongful Termination Lawsuit Against Vungle

Zain Jaffer, the founder of the mobile advertising company Vungle, was removed from his role as CEO as retaliation for being arrested in October 2017.

Jaffer was arrested for assault with a deadly weapon as well as performing a lewd act on his young son, however, all charges were dropped. Vungle blocked Jaffer from selling any of his stocks, and his relationship with Vungle ended with him being wrongfully terminated .

The lawsuit against Vungle references a segment of California’s labor code where it explicitly says the code, “prohibits discrimination and retaliation by employers based upon arrest or detention that did not result in conviction.”

When Jaffer’s charges from 2017 were dropped, he said “Vungle unfairly and unlawfully sought to destroy my career.” Jaffer’s lawsuit does not state how much money is being sought after, but his attorney Joann Rezzo says at least $100 million worth of damage has been done. Rezzo believes it could potentially be worth even more than the original estimate depending on the discretion of the jury.

If you feel that you have been wrongfully terminated by your employer and would like to know your rights as an employee in the state of California, please contact the attorneys at the California Employment Legal Group today for a free consultation with an experienced employment lawyer.

Deputy Sheriff Files Sexual Harassment Lawsuit After Retaliation

Melanie Keener, the once second-most powerful person in law enforcement in rural northern Nevada was removed from her position and relegated to an isolated desk in the Storey County Courthouse in Virginia City after she reported her boss, Sheriff Gerald Antinoro for sexual harassment.  This ultimately led to her filing a sexual harassment lawsuit.

She stated that “coming forward has broke me.”

This drastic change in her employment ruined her nearly 20-year law enforcement career.  Meanwhile, Antinoro continues to be the top law enforcement official in Storey County as the sheriff.  This was after an investigation was lodged in response to her complaint that found he indeed violated the county’s sexual harassment policy.

The accusations, however, are not limited to Keener’s suit.  The county administrator noted that there have been numerous complaints against the sheriff.  All of which, to the sheriff who is also known as Jerry, has never been prosecuted for.

The lawsuit dives further into the details of the allegation, which began on a business trip to Ely, Nevada for a law enforcement convention in 2015.  After a long night of light drinking and gambling, she received a text message that was read as a clear sexual innuendo.

If you feel that you have been retaliated against for being a whistleblower of sexual harassment and would like to know your rights as an employee in the state of California, please contact the attorneys at the California Employment Legal Group today for a free consultation with an experienced employment lawyer.

Ex-Morgan Stanley Broker Loses Wrongful Termination Suit

Ivan Gefen, an ex-Morgan Stanley broker was ordered to repay the firm nearly $2.6 million based on a note balance.  Gefen filed a wrongful termination lawsuit based on age discrimination and other reasons which demanded restitution of at least $5 million in compensatory damages and back pay.  This occurrence caused the firm to issue a counterclaim for the balance and interest on three promissory notes Gefen signed.

Three arbitrators that were assigned the case denied Gefen’s wrongful termination claims in their entirety, as well as the justification of fully satisfied claim against the promissory notes.

The allegations initially argued that Morgan Stanley’s breaches on employment contracts absolve his having to repay the promissory notes.

Morgan Stanley issued a statement that the firm fully expects departing employees to fulfill their loan obligations to the firm and they will take necessary action to ensure that they do.

If you feel that you have been wrongfully terminated by your employer and would like to know your rights as an employee in the state of California, please contact the attorneys at the California Employment Legal Group today for a free consultation with an experienced employment lawyer.

Children’s Hospital & Medical Center Omaha Sued For Wrongful Termination

Two Nebraska surgeons, Dr. Jason Miller and Dr. Mark Puccioni, have filed a wrongful termination lawsuit against Children’s Hospital & Medical Center Omaha, alleging wrongful suspension and forced resignations after they came out as whistleblowers regarding patient safety concerns.

The concerns were regarding the death of a 7-month old during an operation that was performed by another surgeon, Dr. Adam Conley, as they questioned his skill and ability.  The lawsuit additionally names the hospital’s CEO, Dr. Richard Azizkhan.

The hospital issued a statement backing the executive and medical team along with the inclusion of the tragic loss within the wrongful termination lawsuit.

The wrongful termination lawsuit alleges that Puccioni grew further concerned of Conley’s pediatric neurosurgery abilities and expressed it to the hospital’s administration.  Thereafter, Conley began spreading rumors that Puccioni was abusing drugs although Puccioni passed all drug tests administered to him.  After the tragic death of the 7 month-old patient, both doctors wrote the hospital’s administration questioning Conley’s skills.

Days after, both doctors’ were suspended and were eventually forced to resign.

If you have been wrongfully terminated by your employer, please contact the attorneys at the California Employment Legal Group today for a free consultation with an experienced employment lawyer who will clearly explain your rights and options under the law.

BFM Fires Employees For Sexual Misconduct

The progressive radio station, BFM, has fired two of its employees after a graphic accusation letter alleging sexual harassment went viral.  The company’s stakeholders mutually decided upon the decision based on sufficient evidence that was gathered.

BFM Founder, Malek Ali issued a release that the company’s management team acknowledges that they could have been more proactive and timely with their investigation into the sexual harassment claim.  As a result, the company is planning to revamp its internal grievance processes by instituting training and sexual harassment awareness programs.

The incident occurred at an office party in 2017, where the two former male staff members were accused of sexually harassing female colleagues with sexual propositions and comments on the way they dressed.  This led to the complaint being filed and the company launching an inquiry with independent counsel to probe the filing.

If you are experiencing sexual harassment in the workplace, please contact the attorneys at the California Employment Legal Group today for a free consultation with an experienced employment lawyer who will clearly explain your rights and options under the law.