Assistant Resigned Due to Director's Behavior: Court Recognized Harassment and Awarded $20,000
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Peter A. Hernandez awarded $20,000 in compensation to a woman who claimed she was forced to leave her job as executive assistant to the CEO of a Hollywood production company in 2023 due to his harassment and anti-Semitism, writes Mynewsla.
The judge ruled in favor of plaintiff Jessika Harvey on her claims of creating a hostile work environment and failure to prevent or remedy harassment in the case against Yuri Spiro, CEO of WestWorld Productions Inc. At the same time, the court dismissed numerous of Harvey's allegations regarding violations of state labor laws.
During the trial without a jury, both Harvey and Spiro represented themselves. After the hearings, the judge took the case under advisement.
"The court finds it unfortunate that the parties were unable to maintain working relationships with their attorneys. This inevitably placed the court in a position where it had to constantly restrain the parties to ensure the submission of admissible evidence and conduct the proceedings in a manner that allowed the court to make a substantive decision based on the evidence presented," Hernandez noted.
Spiro denied allegations of anti-Semitism and racism. Regarding WestWorld, which was also a defendant in the case, no separate ruling was made as the plaintiff did not file a motion for a default judgment against the company.
According to the complaint, Harvey was hired in April 2022 as Spiro's executive assistant. She worked over 50 hours a week under his constant supervision and direct instructions.
The complaint alleges that Spiro "continuously contacted her at any time of day," assigning her to schedule meetings and phone calls, conduct building tours, and perform various tasks.
The complaint also states that throughout her employment, Harvey "endured a barrage of continuous sexual innuendos and racist comments, causing deep emotional distress."
Specifically, according to the plaintiff, during one incident Spiro rubbed his hands and said to her, "You are as stubborn as a virgin during her first time."
Additionally, according to the complaint, Spiro made anti-Semitic remarks. In particular, he told Harvey and a Mercedes-Benz car salesperson that he wanted to replace the car's emblem with a swastika.
In March 2024, Harvey filed a lawsuit stating she was forced to resign due to "intolerable working conditions."
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