CHICAGO – A former public relations manager for the Chicago Blackhawks claimed in a new lawsuit that he was fired by the club because he is gay.
The plaintiff, Anthony Filomena, filed the lawsuit on Thursday in federal court, in which he alleges the Blackhawks discriminated against him based on his sexual orientation.
What we know:
Filomena worked for the team from July 2022 until he was terminated on May 3, 2024, according to the lawsuit.
In a statement, the organization refuted Filomena’s allegation:
“Mr. Filomena was terminated for cause due to multiple instances of misconduct over a period of six months. He received multiple written communications outlining expectations including a formal, final written warning prior to his dismissal. His termination was solely due to continued misconduct and disregard for our company policies.”
Still, the lawsuit claimed Filomena “performed his job duties in a satisfactory manner at all relevant times.” Filomena claimed he reported his supervisor to human resources for “hostile and aggressive actions.” After reporting the supervisor, Filomena claimed he was retaliated with more hostile actions including the supervisor allegedly “yelling and berating” him.
In April of 2024, an article was published in “Outsports,” a website covering LGBTQ issues in sports, about Filomena’s experience as a gay man working for a professional hockey organization. Filomena claimed he received approval for doing an interview with the outlet, but after its publication, he was told his department was “very angry about it.”
He was fired on May 3, according to the lawsuit.
The plaintiff argued that the team’s stated reason for firing him, “alleged policy violations and performance deficiencies – were either fabricated, exaggerated, or not the actual basis for the decision.”
Filomena’s lawsuit claims he was discriminated against because of his sexual orientation, and that the organization allegedly retaliated against him for reporting discrimination.
He is seeking back pay, compensatory and punitive damages, attorney’s fees and other forms of relief from the Blackhawks.