ESPN sued over discrimination and sexual harassment allegations

Leading sports news network ESPN was hit with a discrimination and sexual harassment lawsuit earlier this week by former legal analyst Adrienne Lawrence. Lawrence had completed a two-year fellowship program with the network and alleges in the suit that she was not granted a full-time position due to her complaints about unwelcome sexual advances from SportsCenter anchor John Buccigross, along with other inappropriate behavior by male colleagues.
According to the suit, the company allegedly bolsters a culture in which male employees openly make lewd comments about female colleagues as well as female public figures, even in their presence and after disgust is explicitly expressed. Male peers with leadership positions also allegedly engage in inappropriate exchanges with female colleagues, including offering professional growth opportunities for romantic or sexual gestures. The lawsuit calls on numerous female employees as witnesses and cites the company’s allegedly extensive history of misogyny and undisciplined misconduct by male employees.
Lawrence’s accusations that her complaints were predominantly responsible for her restricted professional trajectory at the company are supported in the suit by allegedly positive interactions with senior members about her future at ESPN. Fellowship reports and meetings with then-President John Skipper showed alleged endorsement of Lawrence’s prospects for continuing her career at ESPN, and her termination supposedly followed her complaints to supervisors and Human Resources about office culture and harassment. The suit also details personal reports about Buccigross’ inappropriate attempts at romantic and sexual contact with Lawrence, even after she allegedly expressed discomfort.
Lawrence’s suit has dire legal implications for ESPN. Within the allegations, she claimed she was a victim of quid pro quo sexual harassment and a hostile work environment, as well as discrimination on the basis of her sex. In quid pro quo harassment, sexual favors are exchanged as conditions of employment—Lawrence’s allegations that her employment was terminated as a result of her harassment complaints would fall under this designation. Discrimination on the basis of sex, among other characteristics, is prohibited by federal law under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. If Lawrence’s sex predicated her safety and employment opportunities at the company, ESPN would be in violation of Title VII—a federal offense. Lawrence’s suit also implies Human Resources did not take action against the alleged misconduct, revealed confidential complaints, and swept matters under the rug.
ESPN has commented that they have reviewed Lawrence’s allegations, and have not found anything of merit. The company told TheWrap that 100 other talent development trainees alongside Lawrence had also not had their contracts renewed and that the decision was unrelated to reporting of harassment claims. Lawrence also cited an alleged instance of harassment of another female ESPN colleague, Jemele Hill, by SportsCenter anchor Chris Berman. According to Lawrence’s suit, Berman had verbally threatened and made racial comments to Hill in 2016 over a voicemail. However, Hill herself denied the allegations and states that she and Berman professionally resolved the dispute, which was of a different character than Lawrence’s suit claims, years ago. As the suit relies mostly on hearsay, its defense will likely come down to other parties coming forward with similar allegations.

Source: Forbes