A brief relationship between the former “Bild” boss Julian Reichelt and an employee of the newspaper with the highest circulation in Germany has legal consequences. According to media reports in the USA, the woman has filed a lawsuit.
Julian Reichelt, former editor-in-chief of “Bild”.
ran. A former employee of “Bild” has filed a lawsuit against the Axel Springer publishing house in a Californian court. This was reported by “Zeit” on Monday evening. According to the newspaper, it had access to the complaint. Accordingly, the lawsuit is directed against “Bild” and the American offshoot Axel Springer Services based in Delaware.
Eleven allegations are listed in the complaint: sexual harassment, retaliation, unfair pay and abetting harassment. The former “Bild” employee calls for a hearing before a jury.
The affair was an open secret
The woman had started an affair in 2016 with Julian Reichelt, the dismissed “Bild” boss. Apparently he ended it after a few weeks. For fear of losing her job, the plaintiff complied with Reichelt’s demands for sex even after the relationship ended, writes “Zeit” with reference to the court document. According to the newspaper, Reichelt denies this representation.
The relationship between the two is said to have been an open secret in the company. According to her statements, the journalist was asked several times whether that was the only reason she got her job. She got mental problems and moved to the USA. She had similar experiences there. She tried to get help from the company, but did not receive any, instead her contract was not extended shortly after her complaint, citing “Zeit” from the lawsuit.
Axel Springer announced that the lawsuit is currently being examined. It is particularly inconvenient for the publisher for two reasons: on the one hand, high claims for damages are the order of the day in comparable cases in the USA, and on the other hand, Springer has expansion plans in the United States.