A preferred former Peloton teacher sued the corporate for $1.8 million Wednesday, alleging an government disparaged his Irish ethnicity and ridiculed him for in search of a Covid-19 vaccine exemption.
In a criticism filed in Manhattan civil courtroom, Daniel McKenna — recognized on his social media platforms as “Irish Yanks” — additionally alleges Chief Content material Officer Jennifer Cotter mentioned he could possibly be fired for taking short-term incapacity depart after a work-related damage and surgical procedure.
The depart was at odds with the tradition of “company America,” the go well with alleges Cotter mentioned.
The health tools firm didn’t reply to a request for remark.
McKenna was invited to audition for the corporate after constructing a following as a private health teacher, the go well with says.
McKenna has greater than 120,000 followers on two Instagram pages, one in all which posted high-energy exercises. He skilled an “80 p.c progress in followers and highest proportion progress of any Peloton teacher,” the go well with claims.
In October 2021, three months after McKenna was employed, he requested a Covid-19 exemption when an surprising surgical procedure prompted McKenna to be involved the vaccine might impede his restoration, the go well with says.
“Remarkably, defendant Cotter made disparaging and denigrating remarks” after he made the request, the go well with says, claiming that she “categorically denied listening to or exploring the potential” for an exemption.
After McKenna was vaccinated, the go well with alleges Cotter “compelled” him to watch a 14-day quarantine whereas he repeatedly examined adverse.
The go well with alleges that Cotter commented on McKenna’s accent, suggesting that “no one understands what you might be saying,” and telling him in workers conferences and in entrance of the corporate’s new chief government that she hoped he wasn’t drunk.
“That is Daniel our Irish teacher, he is tough across the edges and onerous to grasp however the members love him,” she allegedly informed the CEO, in keeping with the go well with.
Throughout a cellphone name, when McKenna requested Cotter to cease the feedback, she “unapologetically said that she was largely joking,” the go well with claims.
McKenna took a roughly two-month incapacity depart following what the go well with described as a work-related damage and one other surgical procedure earlier this yr, in keeping with the criticism. Throughout a June assembly, he was allegedly informed that his place at Peloton was “not wanting good,” the go well with claims.
McKenna was fired Sept. 12 for causes that haven’t been offered, the go well with says. The corporate provided a severance of six months of upfront pay totaling $130,000 however in the end provided an quantity “considerably decrease and in breach” of his employment settlement, the go well with says.
The go well with claims illegal retaliation, incapacity and nationwide origin discrimination, and breach of contract.
McKenna is in search of $300,000 in compensatory damages, $1 million in punitive damages and $500,000 in wage, curiosity and advantages, in keeping with the go well with.
