PHOENIX — According to a report by ESPN, a former Phoenix Suns employee has claimed discrimination and wrongful termination, seeking $60 million in damages.
The ex-employee was the Suns' program manager of diversity, equity, and inclusion, according to ESPN.
The female employee filed a complaint with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Arizona attorney general's office civil rights division.
According to the article, the former employee's role was aimed "at helping address issues that current and former Suns employees had described to ESPN as existing under [Robert] Sarver, who announced his intent to sell the team soon after the NBA released the findings of its investigation."
Stacey Mitch, Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury Senior Vice President, Communications, shared a statement with ABC15:
“A former employee who last worked for the organization in 2023 was terminated after less than ten months due to repeated failure to perform her job duties. This individual filed a baseless charge with a state agency and is now trying to use ESPN reporting from 2022, specific to previous ownership, to make egregious claims in order to support her ridiculous demand for $60 million from the Suns organization. To be clear, this individual is making false claims in an attempt to gain tens of millions of dollars. We are confident the courts will find no merit to these claims, and quickly resolve this matter. The Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury are creating a world-class organization for every employee. We will not let opportunists succeed in their attempts to manipulate the media and use years-old reporting to seek financial gain.”
The investigation remains ongoing.
