The Latest Incidents to Surface

Erika Smith, a former community relations employee of the Golden State Warriors who had also previously worked for the Washington Wizards and Phoenix Suns, was terminated from her position after she reported receiving a series of unwanted and nude texts from the Warriors guard, Monta Ellis. Smith alleges that Ellis, a married man, continued to send her inappropriate messages throughout the three month period between November 2010 and January 2011, and she is now suing the athlete for sexual harassment. According to court documents, Ellis’s wife, Juanika, discovered the secret sex laden texts and demanded that Smith be ejected from her position.

However, action was postponed and enormous efforts were taken to guarantee that Ellis would not find out that his wife knew about his risqué text messages until after he played an important game against the Los Angeles Lakers. While Warriors president and chief operating officer, Rick Welts, claims that he and Ellis’s teammates were aware of the “consensual” relationship between Ellis and Smith and warned them against pursuing it further, Smith’s attorney points to the fact that the team has failed to address the allegations or to conduct an investigation.

In addition to Erika Smith’s allegations of mistreatment, Warren Glover, a former N.B.A. security official, claims that he was fired for reporting instances of sexual harassment and discrimination on behalf of several women, and he too is filing suit. Glover claims that N.B.A. security official higher-ups engaged in sexual harassment under a hostile work environment theory and that he was treated poorly and denied well-earned promotions. Moreover, Glover states that he was blamed and threatened by Bernard Tolbert, the league’s senior vice president for security, after he testified in a sexual harassment lawsuit against his superior, which resulted in the women victims receiving a very large settlement.

Terminated for Doing the Right Thing?

It seems a bit odd that we are not told under what terms either Erika Smith or Warren Glover were actually fired.  Surely, they were not told they were being terminated for adhering to a policy which mandates that instances of sexual harassment be reported to the proper authority. Could it be that Smith was indeed engaged in a consensual relationship with Ellis? The facts do suggest that it was Ellis’s wife who exposed his behavior, which leads one to question whether or not Smith would have come forward to rat out Ellis to someone who would take action against him.

Further, Smith allowed the texting between Ellis and herself continue for an entire three months without changing her telephone number or bringing to light his improper conduct. Could Glover, who served ten years with the N.B.A. and who has been described as a “glowing” employee with a “sterling record,” have actually been discharged for some reason unrelated to his chivalrous act of standing up for his female colleagues?

Winning a suit against the N.B.A. may be comparable to hitting the jackpot, as a 2007 suit involving the New York Knicks clearly illustrates. That year, Anucha Browne Sanders, a Madison Square Garden executive, sued New York Knicks owner, then General manager, and MSG for wrongful termination, alleging that she said she was fired for rebuking inappropriate advances made towards her. The result: Sanders won the suit and received a whopping $11.6 million settlement.

Therefore, taking this case and others of its kind into consideration, it appears that high-salaried people and organizations are magnets for those looking to score a big win. It is thus very important for those at risk of being targeted to consult a sexual harassment lawyer in Orange County.

Sports Stars: Untouchable?

By the same token, today’s athletes seem to achieve God-like statuses, both in their own minds, and in the eyes of the public. Thus, it is not unrealistic to believe that these individuals may engage in unlawful behavior with the confidence that they will not be caught, or at least have to face the repercussions. For instance, Ellis’ performance against the Lakers was deemed more important than his wife’s personal concerns, and the N.B.A. and other organizations may fear that losing one player on account of a sexual harassment claim may jeopardize an entire season, or even a team’s future.

Conclusion

Either way you look at it, sexual harassment is wrong and should not be tolerated. Sexual harassment lawyers in Orange County are available to discuss possible claims and ways of handling them if and when they do arise. As it has been duly noted, the N.B.A has indeed had its fair share of issues to deal with in the recent past. However, no one but the parties involved in the incidents, discussed above, truly know what happened, but based on past decisions, the N.B.A should  definitely consider keeping a close eye on both its players and employees to ensure that no funny business goes on.