Ex-worker sues Madonna
2005-03-11 07:52
Los Angeles - A former female employee of Madonna's film company is suing the pop star and other executives of Maverick Films on claims she was sexually harassed and wrongfully terminated.
Yael Oestreich said in a lawsuit filed on Wednesday in Superior Court that she was never given a promised salary increase by Chief Executive Officer Mark Morgan and that he fired her in July without cause.
The lawsuit seeks general damages, medical expenses, loss of earnings and punitive and exemplary damages.
It claims Maverick Films co-founder Guy Oseary and Madonna, both listed as defendants, "failed to conduct a reasonable investigation into defendant Morgan's background before hiring him and knew or should have known of his propensity for sexual harassment and discrimination".
Phone calls to Morgan, Oseary and a publicist for Madonna weren't immediately returned early on Thursday.
Oestreich, a former vice president of development at Maverick, said she was criticised by Morgan at a November 11, 2003, social outing as being "uptight" for not joining in talks about sex, according to the lawsuit.
In the months that followed, the lawsuit said, Oestreich was the target of "inappropriate sexual inquiries" and also was accused of being insecure when she told managers of the alleged harassment.
- AP