The former “Jeopardy!” and “Wheel of Fortune” employees members filed employment discrimination, harassment and retaliation claims towards Sony Pictures Entertainment after the Culver City-based firm allegedly fired employees who spoke out towards poisonous working circumstances.
Shelley Ballance Ellis, a former manufacturing govt for the sport reveals, and Monique Diaz, a former member of the collection’ Authorization and Licensing Department, filed a grievance with the California Department of Civil Rights on Thursday. They beforehand filed unfair labor follow fees with the National Labor Relations Board on related issues.
Sony Pictures denied that its selections have been retaliatory, attributing the layoffs to a broader reorganization.
“Sony Pictures Entertainment takes all allegations of discrimination very critically,” the studio mentioned in a press release. “Earlier this yr there was an in depth reorganization of our recreation present group which resulted within the elimination of a number of roles to accommodate the redundancies and evolving enterprise wants of a 40+ yr outdated enterprise . These eliminations have been enterprise effectivity selections and never retaliatory selections.”
Ballance Ellis identifies himself in his grievance because the highest-ranking black manufacturing govt on “Jeopardy!” and “Wheel of Fortune,” in addition to head of the leisure licensing and allowing division for 26 years. She accused Sony of firing her and “all of the completely different folks” on her group as a result of they repeatedly raised issues about discrimination within the office.
Diaz was among the many workers fired in April. In her grievance she alleges that her employment was terminated after she complained that she was paid considerably lower than a newly employed white worker in a much less senior function.
According to the doc, the white employees member’s annual wage was $125,000, whereas Diaz earned $75,000. Sony reportedly elevated Diaz’s annual wage to $113,000 following his protests.
“Both employees allege that they and their colleagues have been fired as a result of they objected to racial discrimination within the office, the large pay inequality skilled by Ms. Diaz, the glass ceiling and different biases that Ms. Ballance Ellis confronted as older black girl,” the ex- The workers’ attorneys, Hillary Benham-Baker and Peter Romer-Friedman, mentioned in a information launch Thursday.
Ballance Ellis additionally alleges in her grievance that after she, Diaz, and their colleagues have been fired, Sony changed them with principally youthful white workers.
In addition to wage inequality and discriminatory work practices, Ballance Ellis and Diaz additionally say they and their colleagues objected to Southern plantation footage aired on “Wheel of Fortune”; racist feedback made within the “Wheel of Fortune” office and management room about black girls on the present; and “Jeopardy!” clues, amongst different offensive issues.
Ballance Ellis added in her unfair labor practices lawsuit that such experiences precipitated her and her colleagues emotional and psychological misery, in addition to financial hurt.
“The previous few years have been a time of great transition and inner reorientation for Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy!, led by a brand new management group deeply dedicated to fostering a tradition of inclusivity and respect,” Sony mentioned in its assertion. “We are anchored in these values as we usher in a brand new period for our recreation reveals with tenacity and warning.”
