Hanover, PA – A former employee of BabyAge.com, based in Hanover Industrial Estates, filed a lawsuit accusing the Web-based retailer of religious discrimination, claiming the company’s chief executive officer made frequent inflammatory anti-Jewish remarks.
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In the paperwork filed in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania in Scranton, Shlomo Hecht contends he was retained for three years as “Chief Technology Officer … with yearly compensation of $150,000,” though he notes the “retention was as a ‘consultant.’ ”
The suit claims around Jan. 9, 2009, BabyAge CEO Jack Kiefer confronted Hecht, who is Jewish, “and stated in an angry tone that he did not want a ‘Jew Boy Club’ in the office.” The suit alleged Kiefer made it clear he didn’t want Hecht to observe Jewish holidays, and that he referred to Hecht “and other Jewish employees as ‘(expletive) Jews’ and the ‘blood sucking tribe.’ ”
The suit claims Kiefer and other executives “plotted to eliminate all Jewish employees in high level positions, and that Kiefer told Hecht a certain employee was fired because he was a “typical (expletive) Jew, that is corrupt through and through.”
The suit claims around Aug. 25 Hecht was discharged, “and otherwise discriminated against … because of his Jewish religion/ethnicity.” The paperwork notes BabyAge filed a suit against Hecht in September, 2009, but contends the allegations in that suit “were pretexts to terminate an expensive three-year contract,” and that BabyAge “voluntarily dismissed the lawsuit” in December, 2009 because of Hecht’s “vigorous defense.”
Hecht’s lawsuit also claims Kiefer and co-defendant Joseph Sponholtz repeatedly told employees Hecht was fired because he was a “thief,” and denies the allegation.
Hecht seeks $255,205 for breach of contract, $11,925 for legal expenses in fighting the 2009 BabyAge suit, and unspecified punitive damages for discrimination, defamation and invasion of privacy.
BabyAge announced last month that it had accepted a $15 million private equity investment led by Alumni Capital Network of New York.
Kiefer remains as chief executive but Alumni Capital now controls the company, holding three of five board seats.
A call to BabyAge seeking comment was not returned Monday afternoon.
I wish I could have sued UBS for the same discimination. Any other former UBS employees feel this way?
Babyage was owned by chasidim years ago. Hence, so many Jewish employees.
This is bull! If he was that anit-semetic, you think he would have kept on Jews for over 150k a year?? Think again.
I would like to sue obama for anti-Jewish remarks and actions.
Reply to #3
If you ever worked in a real company, you would know. It is very hard to find really qualified people in high level positions. If someone is doing his job well you cannot simply fire him without raising questions. And for the record $150,000 for a CTO is not that much money, usually people in that position make more than that.
#4 – What “anti-Jewish remarks and actions” has Obama made? Anti-Israel, maybe, but not anti-semitic.