Saturday, October 8, 2016

Indy Radio: Emmis Sued For Sex Discimination

A former employee with Emmis Communications is suing for sex discrimination, alleging that producers of WFNI 1070 AM / 93.5 FM sexually harassed her and made derogatory gay jokes.

Accoridng to The Indy Star, Kristine Esser Slentz, a former digital content manager, hasfiled a federal employment discrimination lawsuit that says she left her job in December after a little more than a year with the company due to severe harassment.

In the complaint, Slentz accuses 1070 The Fan radio producers Kyle Knezevich and Tony Donohue of creating a hostile work environment. The lawsuit accuses Emmis of failing to take adequate steps to address Slentz's complaints.

Emmis spokeswoman Kate Healey Snedeker denied the allegations in the lawsuit, stating: "Emmis firmly believes that the law is on its side and will aggressively defend against these allegations."

In March of 2015, the lawsuit alleges, Donohue told Slentz he read an article she wrote for the Huffington Post about her bisexuality. Donohue talked about the article in the office, and made derogatory comments and jokes, the suit says. He texted her at night, sometimes after midnight, the suit says, complaining about her work.

Slentz complained to a supervisor, and Donohue was issued a written reprimand and told to stop complaining about her work and discussing her sexual orientation, the suit says. After that, the complaint alleges, Donohue again began complaining about Slentz's work, calling her "stupid," and an explicit word for females.

In May of 2015, the lawsuit alleges, Knezevich, another producer, made sexual advances toward her that she rebuffed. After that, the suit says, the two men escalated their complaints about Slentz. She complained to supervisors, the suit says.

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