Los Angeles Judge Recuses Herself From Disney Wrongful Termination Lawsuit Because She Is a Stockholder
Los Angeles judge Teresa Beaudet has recused herself from presiding over a wrongful termination lawsuit filed against The Walt Disney Company because she is a Disney stockholder.
Donald Stewart filed the lawsuit against Disney Content Services in July 2024. In the suit, the former employee alleges race discrimination, harassment, wrongful termination, retaliation, and failure to prevent discrimination and harassment.
The Walt Disney Company. Photo: Disney
Here is the story.
Stewart’s Suit
In his filing, Stewart says he was fired in 2022 after enduring a “racially discriminatory hostile environment, including viewing the Confederate flag and the Trump insignia on workplace sites and/or workplace-related sites on multiple occasions.”
Photo: Disney
The suit recounts racially charged incidents in which white employees told him that he “did not belong there” and Black workers were referred to as “monkeys.” Other employees also allegedly complained to Stewart about similar racial incidents, including the use of slurs.
When the plaintiff applied for promotions, the suit contends, he was passed over for white employees, even though he had similar or superior qualifications.
The Walt Disney Company
After complaining to human resources about what he described as a discriminatory work environment, Stewart says he was fired in June 2022 for “poor judgment, lack of integrity, retaliatory behavior toward colleagues, failure to report potential conflicts of interest and failure to follow safety protocols.”
What Happens Next?
Stewart is suing for unspecified compensatory and punitive damages, including lost earnings and emotional distress.
Now that Judge Beaudet has removed herself from the case, it will be transferred to a supervising judge for reassignment.
Photo: Miriam-Webster
For their part, Disney has contended that California should not have jurisdiction in the case, as Stewart lives in Georgia, and the events in question took place outside of the Golden State.
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