Newspaper apparently settles $15 million workplace bullying lawsuit

There are reports that former Asheville Citizen-Times Editor Susan Ihne has settled her $15 million wrongful termination lawsuit against newspaper Publisher Randy Hammer and the newspaper’s parent company, Gannett Co.  The terms of the settlement haven’t been disclosed.

The lawsuit, filed by Susan Ihne in December 2008, claimed that she suffered from workplace bullying while working with Randy Hammer.  Ihne claimed that Hammer began bullying and harassing her shortly after he started working at the newspaper in october 2007. 

The lawsuit stated “that this harassment and bullying consisted of yelling and raising his voice at the Plaintiff, belittling and degrading her on the job, and misusing his power in a calculated effort to destroy her self-confidence and get her to resign from her job.”

Ihne also claimed that Hammer threatened to fire her and ordered her not to contact corporate headquarters concerning him.  Hammer “created a hostile work environment by his abusive conduct,” according to the lawsuit.

Ihne informed Gannett’s upper management about Hammer’s harassment and abusive conduct, but she claimed that Gannett failed to take action.  Furthermore, the lawsuit stated that Ihne was fired in May 2008, and Ihne claimed that the termination was “due to age discrimination and sex discrimination.”

Ihne joined the Citizen-Times in October 2005.  In a 27-year career with Gannett, Ihne worked for a number of newspapers as a reporter and manager. She was awarded the Gannett’s top honor for an editor — a President’s Ring — in 1999 and again in 2005.

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Dodgers ex-CEO sues husband for ‘creating hostile work environment’

On Tuesday, Jamie McCourt filed to divorce her husband, Frank McCourt, who is a co-owner of the Dodgers baseball team.  Frank McCourt fired Jamie McCourt from her position as the Dodgers CEO last week.

Jamie McCourt

Jamie McCourt alleges that her husband created a hostile work environment for her as their marriage began to deteriorate.  She said that she filed a formal complaint about the hostile work environment with the Dodgers’ general counsel last month.

In her divorce filing, Jamie McCourt is asking to be reinstated as CEO of the Dodgers and to receive her salary and all of the perks that she previously enjoyed, such as travel by private Net Jets planes and unlimited reimbursements for travel expenses.

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North Pole councilwoman resigns amid hostile work environment complaints

The Councilwoman of North Pole City in Alaska, Victoria Thompson, announced her resignation after a number of employees complained that she created a hostile work environment at City Hall. 

Thompson apparently resigned in order to protect the municipality from potential discrimination and harassment lawsuits from the complaintants, who claimed that Thompson often made inappropriate comments to employees, pounded her fists on tables, and spread rumors around the workplace.

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UMD instructor Rod Raymond investigated for sexual harassment and creating hostile work environment

Following complaints by numerous women about a pattern of sexually inappropriate behavior by University of Minnesota Duluth fitness instructor Rod Raymond, the UMD Director of the Office of Equal Opportunity conducted an investigation.

In her investigation, UMD director Deborah Petersen-Perlman heard from numerous women who said that Raymond made sexual advances toward them in “a pattern of sexually inappropriate language and behavior.”  Raymond also allegedly retaliated against some of the women complained about his harassment.

Rod Raymond

Petersen-Perlman’s July 2009 report concluded that “by not taking a strong stand against this behavior, we place UMD in a vulnerable position vis-à-vis a lawsuit with respect to sexual harassment.”

Though Petersen-Perlman’s investigation recommended that Raymond be fired for creating “a hostile work environment due to sexual harassment,” UMD administrators chose to allow Raymond to keep his job, where he still teaches today, and to limit their actions to a few light sanctions.

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Former VP sues Anheuser-Busch for sex discrimination

Francine Katz, a former high profile vice president of communications and consumer affairs at Anheuser-Busch, has filed a sex discrimination lawsuit against the beer company.

Anheuser-Busch Brewery, St. Lewis

Katz alleges that Anheuser-Busch maintained a male-dominated “locker room” work environment and culture that “adversely impacts women” and that pays women lower salaries and offers them fewer opportunities in top jobs.

Katz alleges she was paid less than half of what her male predecessor, John Jacob, had been making in the same position.

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Boss at Bath and Body Works accused of religious discrimination

A former sales manager at Bath and Body Works has filed a religious discrimination lawsuit against the retailer for firing her on the basis of her religious beliefs.

The sales manager, who is a member of the Wiccan religion, had asked her boss, Sandra Scibelli, for time off so that she could celebrate the Wiccan new year religious holiday.

Scibelli told the sales manager, “That is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard….you will ned a new career in your new year.  I will be damned if I have a devil-worshipper on my team.”

The sales manager was fired on November 2008 after she returned from her holiday vacation.  She is suing Bath and Body Works for lost wages and punitive damages for religious discrimination.

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David Letterman accused of sexual harassment and creating hostile work environment

Nell Scovell, a former writer for the Late Night with David Letterman show, wrote an article that was published today in Vanity Fair about her experience working with David Letterman. 

She mentioned the fact that the section of sexual harassment law called sexual favoritism that, according to the EEOC, can lead to a hostile work environment that is often “demeaning to women,” accurately describes her experience working with Letterman on the Late Night show.

Though Scovell accused David Letterman of sexual harassment and creating a hostile work environment, she apparently is not interested in filing a lawsuit nor does she want to be compensated for Letterman’s discriminatory behavior.

The following is an excerpt from Scovell’s article:

Without naming names or digging up decades-old dirt, let’s address the pertinent questions. Did Dave hit on me? No. Did he pay me enough extra attention that it was noted by another writer? Yes. Was I aware of rumors that Dave was having sexual relationships with female staffers? Yes. Was I aware that other high-level male employees were having sexual relationships with female staffers? Yes. Did these female staffers have access to information and wield power disproportionate to their job titles? Yes. Did that create a hostile work environment? Yes. Did I believe these female staffers were benefiting professionally from their personal relationships? Yes. Did that make me feel demeaned? Completely. Did I say anything at the time? Sadly, no.

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Napoli’s Restaurant sued by EEOC for sexual harassment

The EEOC has filed a sex discrimination lawsuit against Napoli’s Italian Restaurant, based in Maryville, Missouri, after restaurant managers allegedly subjected several female employees, including a 17 year old, to lewd comments, sexual propositions, and inappropriate touching.

EEOC Senior Trial Attorney Andrea Baran said, “We received the charge of discrimination from a young woman who worked there and who claimed that she and other young female employees were subjected to sexual harassment.”

Bujar Rexha, the owner of Napoli’s Italian Restaurant, denied the sexual harassment charges.

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Decorated army veteran wins $4.3 million hostile work environment lawsuit against US Army

James McKelvey, a former soldier who received a Purple Heart and who lost his hand and suffered other serious injuries in an explosion while serving in Iraq, was awarded $4.3 million in a hostile work environment and disability discrimination lawsuit against the US Army.

McKelvey had claimed that his boss, Alan Parks, and a coworker, Bud Spalding, harassed and ridiculed him as “the cripple,” refused to provide him with computer equipment and door handles to accommodate his disabilities, and refused to let him park in a handicapped space at the Army’s Warren, MI arsenal even though he has a handicapped parking permit.

McKelvey’s complaints about the harassment did not help.  On the contrary, his work environment worsened and he was told to get another job if he didn’t like the way he was being treated.

Joseph Golden, McKelvey’s lawyer, said, “Mr. McKelvey was an expert in defusing weapons of mass destruction and even with the need for his skills to protect us all, he was subjected to the most vile and vulgar insults and behavior with the full knowledge of his supervisors until he was forced to resign.  Mr. McKelvey survived his wounds in Iraq and asked only to move on with his life. This is not how we should be treating war heroes.”

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Woman who filed sexual harassment lawsuit killed in house fire

Bianca Wisniewski Kuros, 44, was killed on Saturday when a fire engulfed her Queens, NY apartment, just two days before the first court hearing in her $20 million sexual harassment lawsuit.  One of Kuros’ two teenage daughters and two men in their 50s were critically injured in the fire, according to fire department officials.

Kuros’ attorney said that her sexual harassment lawsuit, which was filed in July against JPMorgan Chase, Total Safety Consulting, and a male coworker will continue despite her death.

The lawsuit alleges that Kuros was sexually propositioned, groped, and subjected to lewd comments by Steve Greco, an elevator engineer, on a Park Avenue construction site owned by JPMorgan Chase.

Kuros was then replaced as safety inspector in November 2007 after she complained to supervisors about Greco’s harassment and her hostile work environment.

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