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Mariah Carey Settles Sexual Harassment Lawsuit

Mariah Carey settled a lawsuit with her ex-manager, Stella Bulochnikov Stolper, who accused her of sexual harassment.  Stolper’s attorney disclosed that the parties have met a resolution to the matter.  Stella Stolper was Mariah Carey’s manager for 3 years through November 2017.

In the lawsuit, it was claimed that the Grammy Award winner made Stolper uncomfortable as she was often naked in her presence.  When the sexual harassment lawsuit was filed on April 2018, a representative on behalf of Carey stated that the claims were baseless.

The settlement’s value was not disclosed.

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.

Travel Technology Company To Pay $60k In Sexual Misconduct Lawsuit

Travel Technology firm, Inntopia has been ordered to pay $60,000 to Alison Miley who was denied employment after she alleged she was sexually harassed by the company’s former president after she refused his advances.

In May 2018, Miley filed the lawsuit alleging that Craig DeLuca called her into his office to talk about a PR job in late 2016, locked her in and proceeded to sexually harass her.  She swiftly refused his advances.

The suit further alleges that during the spring of 2017, she continued to receive sexually suggestive communications from DeLuca.  After the defendants made an offer to Miley, a judgment will be entered in court.  Inntopia will pay all of the associated attorney’s fees and costs in addition to the restitution, according to the court docket.

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 Santa Barbara Police Dispatch Files Wrongful Termination Suit

Santa Barbara former dispatcher, Bridget Bryden was granted a lawsuit proceeding for being wrongfully terminated in 2016 after alerting her superiors about unsafe working conditions.  The suit alleges that she was terminated wrongfully after filing a complaint that the standards set for new dispatchers have been ignored to fill constant vacant positions.  The claim further states that the new hires posed potential liabilities to the department as they were not fluent in multi-tasking.

The opposing counsel insisted Bridget quit after she was notified about being a part of an internal affairs investigation.  They pushed for the dismissal of the case but was strongly rejected by the judge as there isn’t true evidence to whether Bryden was terminated or indeed quit.  Bryden noted that the investigation was initiated against her shortly after she came out as a whistleblower.

The city attorneys argued that it was all coincidental and there was true legitimacy to the investigation, but the Judge swiftly interceded stating that the timing “is certainly suspect.”  The wrongful termination case is to take place sometime in March.

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.

Tinder founders accuse former CEO of sexual harassment in $2b lawsuit

Founders and executives of Tinder have filed a lawsuit against the app’s parent company, IAC.  The lawsuit is filled with astounding allegations and seeks at least $2 billion in damages over what is stated to be an attempt by IAC to cheat them out of money they are due from their stock options.

Including within the lawsuit is another allegation: that Greg Blatt, former Tinder CEO and IAC Chairman sexually harassed vice president of marketing, Rosette Pambakian while at a company party.  Also, that the company’s human resources department and legal counsel were aware of the sexual harassment and covered up the alleged misconduct.

The lawsuit specifically states, that during the company holiday party, Blatt, who was just named the interim CEO of Tinder sexually harassed Pambakian.  When Tinder co-founder Sean Rad found out about these events, he immediately reported Blatt’s alleged sexual harassment to Match’s General Counsel, Jared Stine.

Per the suit, it alleges that IAC granted Blatt the opportunity to contact Pambakian and another eyewitness directly, which allowed him to pressure to conceal the sexual harassment claim. Along with this, he was also allowed to continue his job duties at the helm of the company while the investigation ensued.

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.

Tinder fires a number of employees involved in the $2b lawsuit against its owners

Tinder has terminated Rosette Pambakian, the company’s vice president of marketing and communications, including a “number” of other employees who took part in a $2 billion lawsuit against the owners of the dating app, the Match Group, according to a report by The Verge.  After her termination, Pambakian sent an email to Match Group CEO Mandy Ginsberg and Tinder CEO Elie Seidman, disclosing that she experienced “ongoing intimidation and retaliation” that was ultimately planned to pressuring her into resigning from her position.

Pambakian, along with the Tinder employees who were involved in the lawsuit were placed on leave back in August.  As reported by multiple sources, a PR representative from the Match Group confirmed that they terminated a number of employees who were unable to perform their job responsibilities.

If you are experiencing retaliation 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.

Planned Parenthood Is Accused of Mistreating Pregnant Employees

Pregnancy discrimination remains a widespread occurrence in the American workplace today.  It is so common that even institutions that champion themselves as advocates of women are struggling with this problem.

Planned Parenthood, the leading provider of reproductive services in the US, has detailed accusations of discrimination by managers in some locations declining to hire pregnant job candidates, refusing break requests by expecting mothers and in some cases wrongfully terminating them after they gave birth.

Ta’Lisa Hairston, a medical assistant at Planned Parenthood, whose job is to instruct pregnant women proper care instructions while at work was unable to follow her own advice when she got pregnant.  Last winter, she advised human resources that her high blood pressure was threatening her pregnancy.  Multiple notes were sent from her nurse’s recommendation that she take frequent breaks.  These notes went unnoticed as they were often ignored by management.  As a result of further instances where she felt discriminated against, she resigned in last June.

As detailed by a former hiring manager from a California location, when internal promotions were available, supervisors often debated whether candidates were likely to get pregnant in the near future and placed preference to those who were not.  In one instance, they declined the promotion of one pregnant woman to promote a new mother, the employee said.  According to the federal Pregnancy Discrimination Act, it is deemed illegal to consider whether a candidate is or will become pregnant.

If you are experiencing pregnancy discrimination 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.

Uber Executive Resigns Weeks After Misconduct Claims

Uber’s chief dealmaker, Cameron Poetzscher, resigned weeks after an article appeared about an investigation into sexual harassment in the workplace as reported by Fortune.

His resignation was immediate, after his employment with Uber for nearly five years and the incidents took place before CEO Dara Khosrowshahi took control of Uber in August 2017.  Poetzscher is the latest in a number of executives at Uber to leave the company or be fired since the company’s rowdy culture was revealed by a former employee to be widespread with harassment and exposure to unwanted sexual situations.

An investigation by an outside law firm a year ago reportedly found substantiated evidence that Poetzscher had made sexually suggestive comments and other sexual misconduct.  He was then reprimanded by Uber in November 2017, ordered sensitivity coaching, and his bonus was reduced as was reported in the article.  An Uber spokesperson said in a statement in September that the outside counsel did not recommend firing Poetzscher.

Poetzscher issued a statement when the story ran on September 26, in which he generally acknowledged events without providing specifics while stating, “I deeply regret and have learned from this error in judgment.”

If you have been sexually harassed 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.

Federal Housing Employee Secretly Recorded Director’s Sexual Advances Toward Her

An employee at the Federal Housing Finance Agency secretly recorded conversations with regulator of mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, Melvin Watt.

The employee has accused Watt of sexual harassment, retaliation and pay discrimination, claiming he leveraged his ability to advance her career as he discussed his attraction to her, reports The Hill.

“I’m guilty of having an attraction to you, that is true, so it makes me more conscious not to leave some impression,” Watt said on the recording obtained by NPR.

Simone Grimes began recording her conversations with Watt in 2016. And in November 2016, he insisted she meet him at his house where she secretly record him saying he could help her advance her career.

“I have continued to endure this position and try to see it through to the end and be clear with the agency that they are not knocking the wind out of me, I am not losing my stride,” Grimes stated.

If you have been sexually harassed, discriminated or retaliated 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.

Nike Hit With Discrimination Lawsuit From Former Female Employees

Four women who worked in the corporate headquarters at Nike filed a class-action lawsuit at a federal court in Oregon last week, alleging the company discriminated against them in pay and career advancement.

As mentioned in the Wall Street Journal, the women report that Nike paid them less than male counterparts at the company. The lawsuit also contained other allegations of inappropriate workplace behavior, some of them from unnamed plaintiffs.

According to the lawsuit, Nike “has intentionally and willfully discriminated” against women “with respect to pay, promotions, and conditions of employment.” It seeks that the plaintiffs “are made whole” from lost compensation and benefits, among other damages.

Eleven executives have left the company amid complaints about inappropriate workplace behavior. Nike’s top human-resources executive said the company has failed to promote enough women and minorities. Last month, Nike announced it would give raises to some 7,000 staffers after an internal review of its compensation practices, reports the Wall Street Journal.

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

 

Former FEMA Chief Created a ‘Toxic’ Environment of Sexual Harassment

The personnel chief of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is under investigation after being accused of “creating an atmosphere of widespread sexual harassment over years in which women were hired as possible sexual partners for male employees”, the agency’s leader reported.

As mentioned in the Washington Post, the alleged harassment and other misconduct, revealed through a preliminary seven-month internal investigation, was a “systemic problem going on for years,” said FEMA Administrator William “Brock” Long.

Starting in 2015, investigators said, Coleman hired unqualified men who were friends and college fraternity brothers and women he met at bars and on online dating sites. Then transferred some of the women in and out of departments, some to regional offices, so his friends could try to have sexual relationships with them, according to employees, reports the Washington Post.

Long also mentioned he received a direct complaint last year from an employee who said Coleman sexually harassed her. Coleman resigned from his position a few weeks ago.

If you have been sexually harassed 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.