James Dolan sued by NYC worker ‘fired for refusing to get vaccinated against COVID-19’

Business

go through Ariel Zieber

February 24, 2023 | 5:15 pm

A group of Radio City Music Hall workers sued to kick James Dolan in the jaw — accusing the media mogul of firing them for failing to comply with the company’s “unnecessary, draconian” COVID vaccine, The Post has learned Vaccination regulations.

According to documents filed in New Jersey, five backstage employees accused Dolan-owned Madison Square Garden Entertainment, which runs the Rockettes festival, of rejecting their “sincere religious and medical objections to the vaccine.” Famous venue for events. Federal court this week.

Dolan, who owns both the Knicks and Rangers, is already facing legal protests from other parts of his entertainment and sports empire.he faces multiple lawsuits Use facial recognition technology Ban on legitimate competitors at venues including Radio City and Madison Square Garden, and shareholder lawsuits MSGE to acquire MSG Networks for $900 million.

Stephanie Marra, Donna Holland, Teofesta Pusillo, Lourdes Garcia and Kyle Nicholson are in the latest legal battle over the controversial vaccine mandate.

Madison Square Garden and Radio City were among dozens of entertainment venues across the city that were forced to close in the spring of 2020 due to the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.

MSGE required all of its employees to receive their first dose of the vaccine by at least July 12, 2021, and set a deadline of August 21, 2021, to show evidence of two vaccinations, the lawsuit said.

All five refused on religious grounds and were taken out of the exit. Nicholson was fired on July 12, 2021, while Mara, Pucillo and Garcia were fired on July 23, 2021, according to legal documents. Holland became unemployed on October 15, 2021. Marra, Holland, Pusillo and Garcia — all New Jersey residents — are all closet dressers. Nicholson was a stagehand.

“Madison Square Garden Entertainment has chosen to disregard the rights of its employees, disrespect their deepest convictions of conscience, and harass anyone who disagrees with its vaccine mandate,” Los Angeles-based attorney Lexi Anderson, who is representing one of the plaintiffs, told the Post.

The lawsuit accuses MSGE and MSG Sports, which owns the Knicks and Rangers, of “exercising their mandates to varying degrees” after making “exceptions for certain populations,” according to court documents.

The lawsuit specifically mentions that the Rangers allow players to bring ice. “The team is considered fully vaccinated at 85% of the time. This allows players to be automatically exempt [who] Opposed to a policy of mandatory vaccination,” the lawsuit said.

Meanwhile, MSGE employees “were not given the same options but were threatened and harassed,” the suit says.

“This case seeks to seek legal redress for the discrimination and coercion these individuals have suffered at the hands of the entertainment giant,” Anderson said.

A MSGE spokesman declined to comment.

The five plaintiffs also appealed the matter to the New York State Division of Human Rights, alleging “discrimination based on religion and perceived disability,” court documents show.

NYSDHR dismissed all of their complaints.

The Post has sought comment from NYSDHR.