Former Editor-in-Chief and Vice President Accuse Owners of The Source of
Subjecting Women to Gender Discrimination, Sexual Harassment and Retaliation
NEW YORK, April 11 – LAWFUEL – The Law News Network — Earlier today, two of the
highest-ranking former female executives of The Source magazine, the
self-proclaimed “Bible of Hip Hop,” filed charges of discrimination with the
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission accusing co-owners David Mays, the
Chief Executive Officer, and Raymond “Benzino” Scott, the Chief Brand
Executive, of committing gender discrimination, sexual harassment and unlawful
retaliation against women at the Company.
The charges were filed by Kimberly Osorio, who was the first female
Editor-in-Chief of The Source, and Michelle Joyce, who was the Vice President
of Marketing. According to the charges, female employees were consistently
discriminated against on the basis of their gender in favor of male employees,
particularly with respect to hiring, promotions, compensation and benefits,
working hours and discipline. The charges also allege that:
* Raymond “Benzino” Scott has taken virtually complete control over The
Source from David Mays, and has placed many of his male associates from
Boston on the payroll who performed no meaningful work and/or did not
adhere to the same rules, policies and procedures that all female
employees were required to follow.
* Scott and Mays have fired or forced out of the Company without cause
many competent, dedicated and hardworking female employees and have
replaced them with men.
* David Mays yelled and cursed at female executives at The Source, whereas
he would not treat or talk to comparable male employees in such a
manner.
* Scott and Mays allowed another male employee to openly utter profanities
at Ms. Osorio, degrade her and threaten her with physical violence
without being punished for his actions.
* Women at The Source were repeatedly subjected to degrading acts of
sexual harassment.
* The sexual harassment was so severe and pervasive that the former
Managing Editor at The Source would often hide in her office and avoid
walking through the corridors out of fear of being sexually harassed.
* The Source engaged in a gender-based smear campaign against Hot 97 radio
personality and recording artist Angie Martinez.
“After dedicating five years to The Source, I could no longer endure the
blatant gender discrimination and harassment so I spoke up, but it only hurt
the situation because I was fired shortly thereafter. Unfortunately,
discrimination and harassment in the workplace is very common and now I must
speak out for all women who have been victims of this same type of treatment,”
said Ms. Osorio. “I chose to take a stand for women of the Hip Hop generation
and for all women who quietly endure such treatment for fear of retaliation
and for those women who have suffered in silence and quietly surrendered,”
said Ms. Joyce.
“Ms. Osorio and Ms. Joyce have shown extraordinary courage in coming
forward, and we will fully vindicate their rights at trial,” said Kenneth P.
Thompson, their attorney and a former Federal Prosecutor who prosecuted the
Abner Louima federal civil rights case. “All women should be treated fairly
and with the utmost respect whether they are in the world of Hip Hop or not
and we will prove that in this case,” said Thompson.
According to the charges, both Ms. Osorio and Ms. Joyce complained about
the discriminatory treatment against women at The Source, all to no avail.
Instead of taking prompt action to end the discrimination, they allege that
Messrs. Scott and Mays unlawfully terminated them despite their outstanding
work performance. In fact, Ms. Osorio alleges that she was fired shortly
after she refused to give in to Scott’s and Mays’ repeated demands that she
rescind an email that she sent to Human Resources complaining about the
unlawful conduct.
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