Latest news with #wrongfultermination
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
With Doctor Odyssey's Future In Limbo At ABC, Former Crew Members Are Suing Disney Over Alleged Harassment And More
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. After Doctor Odyssey's frustrating Season 1 finale in the spring 2025 TV schedule, most of the buzz around ABC's cruise ship medical drama had centered on Season 2 renewal prospects and John Oliver weighing in. Now, three former members of the crew have filed suit against both Disney and production company 20th Century Fox, alleging sexual harassment and wrongful termination, among other complaints. Caroline Mack, Alicia Haverland and Ava Steinbrenner were members of the Props Department on Doctor Odyssey in "late spring/early summer 2024," according to the lawsuit filed on May 30 in Los Angeles Superior Court (via Variety). The list of complaints included in the suit are sexual harassment; failure to prevent harassment; retaliation; wrongful termination; and negligent hiring, supervision, and retention. The three plaintiffs are seeking a jury trial. The complaints as listed in the filing originate from Tammie Patton being hired as the Prop Master of Doctor Odyssey early on while husband Tyler Patton was hired as Assistant Prop Master, giving the married couple direction over the three women's schedules, assignments, discipline, and more. The suit alleges that Disney, 20th, and Tammie Patton knowingly hired Tyler Patton despite prior allegations of sexual harassment, intoxication, and "engaging in sex on set" when he supervised the Props Department of Fox's House, the popular medical drama that starred Hugh Laurie and ran for eight seasons from 2004-2012. A lawsuit claiming as much against Patton (and others) is said to have been filed at the time. The suit goes on to allege that the Doctor Odyssey Props Department under the supervision of the Pattons was "an unlawful den of sexual harassment and retaliation" from Tyler Patton and male friends. According to this claim, the harassment took the form of sexual jokes, comments, innuendos, comments, gestures, images, and unwanted touching. Tammi Patton is said to have ignored the harassment as well as retaliated against the plaintiffs for their complaints. Third-party witnesses reportedly can corroborate claims made by the three women. Tyler Patton was ultimately fired, leading to Tammie Patton allegedly ramping up retaliation against the women. Disney and 20th are claimed to have taken the "'easy' way out choosing to eliminate not only the wrongoers" – a.k.a. both of the Pattons – but also "all of the remaining employees in the Props Department" in late August 2024 under the guise of layoffs. Their positions were reportedly then filled with new hires, with the exception of Don Bracken, who had been brought in to replace Tyler. Additionally, the women who filed the suit claim to have been blacklisted from projects at Disney and 20th. According to Deadline on the evening that news of the lawsuit went public, representatives for both Disney and 20th declined to comment on the situation. At the time of writing, it's not clear how (or if) the lawsuit will affect the future of Doctor Odyssey itself. The medical drama is currently ABC's only scripted show not to be renewed or cancelled, with the first season streaming in full with a Hulu subscription.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Former Browns player files huge lawsuit against another NFL team
The Kansas City Chiefs are being sued by one of their former workers. Disgruntled ex-employees are nothing new, but this situation goes pretty deep. Ramzee Robinson was the Chiefs' Director of Player Engagement, a position responsible for supporting players' well-being and development both on and off the field. Robinson is a former NFL player himself having played cornerback for the Detroit Lions, Philadelphia Eagles, Cleveland Browns, Washington Redskins, and Denver Broncos. He then finished out his playing career for two seasons in the CFL with the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Advertisement In the 2007 NFL draft, Robinson was named Mr. Irrelevant as he was the final pick by the Lions. Robinson is suing the Chiefs for wrongful termination, filing this week in an 11-page complaint in the United States Court for the Western District of Missouri - Western Division. The core of the lawsuit claims racial discrimination. RELATED: COMPLETE COMPLAINT ROBINSON V CHIEFS According to Robinson's complaint, there are several issues. He was let go this past February, six days after the Super Bowl loss. For one, he is stating that black employees of the Chiefs are paid less than their white counterparts. Secondly, there is a videotape that accuses Robinson of acts against a female office worker, and the Chiefs fired him without allowing him to see the video evidence. Another claim is that another NFL team, the Houston Texans, wanted to interview him for an open position, but the Chiefs halted that process. CB Ramzee Robinson The lawsuit is seeking an unspecified number of damages, but the docket includes a demand for $5 million. In a nutshell, Robinson is suing for racial discrimination, team retaliation, and tortious interference with business expectancy in regards to the interference with the Texans' interview. Advertisement In regard to the claim that black employees are passed over or paid less, the suit gives an example of a black female employee who was paid $50,000 a year and was refused a promotion. After she resigned, a white female, Melissa Weinsz, who is a Ph.D., replaced her at a rate of $80,000 a year. When asked for a comment on the suit by Pro Football Talk, Chiefs V.P. of football communications Brad Gee stated what is pretty much a standard response in these situations: 'We can't comment because it's an active legal matter. But to be clear, the Chiefs do not tolerate discrimination of any kind. We look forward to the facts of this case coming to light.' Robinson entered the league in Round 7, after playing cornerback at Alabama with 50 games played. He graduated with a degree in business management. After his pro career ended, he earned a master's degree in professional counseling from Webster University. He is currently a doctoral candidate at The Chicago School in Applied Behavior Analysis. Cleveland Browns v Philadelphia Eagles After two seasons with Detroit, he signed a one-year deal with the Eagles but was released towards the end of the 2009 season after playing three games. The Browns claimed him off waivers. Robinson played in four contests and was inactive for another while with Cleveland. He had five total tackles, all on special teams. He then spent time with Washington, Denver, and Saskatchewan. Advertisement Robinson's complaint states that he was fired by Kansas City for 'conduct detrimental to the league.' He was employed for nine years with the Chiefs, which began at a salary of $35,000 and grew to $125,000 a year. But in the suit, it alleges that he was underpaid in his profession in comparison to other NFL clubs with the same job title, with salaries around $171,000. When asked for a review, Robinson states the team declined. Robinson's attorney, Katrina Y. Robertson, issued this statement to the press: 'My client dedicated years of professional service to the Chiefs organization and supported players through critical personal and professional challenges. This lawsuit seeks to hold the organization accountable for the systemic inequities and retaliation he faced for simply demanding fairness.' According to the Chiefs, the video is at the heart of this matter. Apparently, the security cameras picked up Robinson attacking Weinsz. This will ultimately become the key piece of evidence in the case. The Chiefs are claiming that Robinson is dangerous and has acted inappropriately around white female co-workers. Advertisement In the lawsuit, Robinson, age 41, is demanding a jury trial. The termination began when Robinson's supervisor, Kirsten Krug, accused him of attacking a 'white female coworker' after seeing the security footage. The woman was Weinsz. After the Super Bowl, Krug went into Robinson's office and accused him of the attack. When asked to review the video, Krug and the Chiefs refused. The Chief of Security was summoned, Robinson's employment was terminated, and Krug confiscated his laptop. Attorney Robertson stated: '(Robinson) unequivocally denies having been in an altercation with anyone.' The lawsuit goes on to say that Robinson's firing was a direct result of his race. When the Texans were asked about Robinson and his accusatory issues, the team declined to comment. Advertisement The relevant language in the complaint appears in paragraph 24: 'Some months before his termination, Mark Donovan pressured Plaintiff to renew his contract and claimed that the contract would offer him stability. After Plaintiff signed, the Houston Texans asked KC Chiefs' management to interview Plaintiff. The KC Chiefs refused. The KC Chiefs told the Texans that an interview would violate his contract. Plaintiff discovered this information when a representative from the Texans called him personally and asked him about this missed opportunity.' Regarding this portion of the complaint, the NFL's Anti-Tampering Policy covers this situation. 2025 NFL Draft - Previews The Chiefs had every right under the policy to refuse to allow Robinson to interview with Houston because they weren't offering him a high-level position, and it is considered to be a lateral move. In fact, the very essence of Robinson mentioning the Texans may work against him. The fact that he states the Texans 'called him personally and asked him about this missed opportunity' just may become a violation of the Anti-Tampering policy. Houston may also be in violation if this rings true. Teams cannot reach out to employees of other teams without permission or if those employees have expired contracts. In the end, the Texans just might become involved in a tampering investigation by the NFL. Advertisement More from
National Post
20-06-2025
- Sport
- National Post
Ex-NFL player sues Chiefs for wrongful termination, racial discrimination
A former NFL defensive back is suing the Kansas City Chiefs for wrongful termination from his job as director of player engagement after accusing the franchise of discriminating against him because he is Black. Article content Ramzee Robinson, who spent nine years with the Chiefs, filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri on Sunday. Article content Article content In the lawsuit, Robinson claims that he was called into a meeting in February and accused of attacking a female co-worker, and that Chiefs refused to show him security video of the encounter. Robinson ultimately was fired from his position, which involved locker room management, mentorship and other responsibilities within the team. Article content Article content The lawsuit claims that Robinson was paid a salary of $125,000 US by the Chiefs, but that his research found other NFL teams paid comparable positions an average salary of $171,932, not including other benefits. It also claims that 'the Chiefs paid African-American business employees less than their white counterparts.' Article content Chiefs spokesman Brad Gee told The Associated Press on Wednesday that while he could not comment on pending legal matters, 'to be clear, the Chiefs do not tolerate discrimination of any kind.' Article content
Fox News
20-06-2025
- Sport
- Fox News
Chiefs sued by former employee alleging racial discrimination after being accused of attacking female coworker
The Kansas City Chiefs are being sued by former NFL defensive back Ramzee Robinson, who previously worked as the team's director of player engagement. Robinson is alleging wrongful termination after accusing the franchise of discriminating against him because he is Black. He filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri on Sunday. In the lawsuit, Robinson claims that he was called into a meeting in February and accused of attacking a female co-worker, and that the Chiefs refused to show him security video of the encounter. Robinson ultimately was fired from his position, which involved locker room management, mentorship and other responsibilities within the team. The lawsuit claims that Robinson was paid a salary of $125,000 by the Chiefs, but that his research found other NFL teams paid comparable positions an average salary of $171,932, not including other benefits. It also claims that "the Chiefs paid African-American business employees less than their white counterparts." Chiefs spokesman Brad Gee told The Associated Press on Wednesday that while he could not comment on pending legal matters, "to be clear, the Chiefs do not tolerate discrimination of any kind." Robinson spent nine years working for the Chiefs in a front office role. Robinson was the final player chosen in the 2007 draft by Detroit. He played in 19 games over two seasons for the Lions, then appeared in three games for Philadelphia and four for Cleveland in 2009. He never played for the Chiefs. Fox News Digital has reached out to the Chiefs for further comment. Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Yahoo
19-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Most claims against AG's office in wrongful termination suit to move forward
SPRINGFIELD — Most claims made in a wrongful termination suit alleging age discrimination and retaliation within the state Attorney General's Office will continue, according to court documents. Last August, Bart Q. Hollander, a former employee with the AG's office, filed a lawsuit against 10 of his former employers and colleagues, alleging that he was discriminated and retaliated against because of his age and for speaking out. He also claims he was wrongfully terminated. One of the named defendants in the lawsuit is prosecutor Amy Karangekis, who was nominated to be a judge for the Massachusetts Superior Court late last month. Karangekis was confirmed by the Governor's Council, the eight-member elected body that confirms judicial nominations at a hearing earlier this month, according to Karissa Hand, the spokesperson for Gov. Maura Healey. She will be sworn in on June 30. Hollander was a former senior employee of the Springfield Regional Office of the AG's office, serving in two roles — regional chief of the office and senior trial counsel — over the course of a decade between 2013 and 2023, according to his complaint. He made 13 claims against his former employers in the civil complaint, including coercion and intimidation, aiding and abetting, and deprivation of his First Amendment rights. Hampshire Superior Court Judge Bertha D. Josephson upheld six of those claims, and partially maintained a seventh claim in a memorandum an order filed June 6. The claim that was partially upheld was a state violation. The federal law violation counterpart was dismissed. Josephson also dismissed Hollander's claims of his First Amendment rights being violated. To have a successful age discrimination claim, Hollander must prove that he was over 40 and was harmed by discrimination, according to Josephson's memorandum and order. The Supreme Judicial Court has held that age disparities of less than five years are 'too insignificant,' the memorandum and order said. Hollander, who was 54 when he was terminated, claims he was replaced by someone about 22 years younger. A claim, the judge said, is sufficient. Hollander states that he complained about age-based discrimination and/or retaliation for complaining about the discrimination on five specific occasions. Inferences Hollander made about certain statements he alleged his employers said to him referred to 'his longevity at his job and, inferentially, his age,' the memorandum said. The AG's office and 10 employees named in the complaint in February filed a motion to dismiss Hollander's allegations that he was retaliated against; Josephson denied the motion. Hollander claimed that other than Liza Tran, the primary defendant, the other nine defendants each played a role in aiding and abetting the alleged discriminatory statements based on his age. 'Here, the plaintiff has adequately alleged that his employment was terminated because of his age,' the judge said about specific allegations against two of the defendants, AG Andrea Joy Campbell and her first assistant, Patrick Moore. Hollander alleges Campbell and Moore received an email from Hollander where he complained of Tran's and others' discriminatory and retaliatory conduct, and that they decided to terminate his employment as a result. The only claim that was wholly dismissed was Hollander's allegation that his First Amendment rights were infringed upon when he spoke out about the alleged discrimination as a public employee. To successfully argue the First Amendment retaliation claim as a public employee, Hollander must establish that he was 'speaking as a citizen on a matter of public concern,' that his interests in commenting on matters of public concern outweighed his employer's interest in its efficiency in performic public services through its employees, and that what he said was a 'substantial or motivating factor in the adverse employment decision,' the memorandum and order said. The defendants must now submit discovery documents as the case moves forward. Campbell, the attorney general, and Moore, her first assistant attorney general, 'face personal liability' for Hollander's wrongful termination claim, according to an emailed statement from Tim Kotfila, the Springfield attorney representing Hollander. 'The (AG's office) and these 10 individual defendants have dodged and delayed properly-served discovery for nine months, and now that Mr. Hollander will receive discovery responses from the defendants, his case is going to strengthen with every passing day,' the statement continued. The AG's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Commission OK's more casino mitigation money, but the well may be running dry Walter Gunn resigns from Longmeadow Planning Board amid town tensions Celebrating Latino heritage: Pedro Veras leads mural project in Springfield Springfield police confiscate 11 guns, arrest 8 in 3 operations over 2 days Read the original article on MassLive.
