Ex-Dish Marketing Executive Files Sex Discrimination Suit Over “Boys Club” Atmosphere

The former head of a Dish Network in-house ad agency, Nancy Perales, has filed a sex discrimination suit against the company under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. She claims that Dish fired her for failing to report sexual harassment to human resources (HR), although male employees received no discipline in similar incidents. Perales attributed her firing to the “boys club” atmosphere among Dish managers. The case is Perales v. Dish Network LLC, case number 1:24-cv-03317, U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado.

According to Perales, Dish ignored complaints of sexual discrimination, and it became clear that reporting such incidents to HR staff was futile. Even after multiple HR complaints by female employees, the accused male employees continued to have opportunities for career advancement. However, company policies, performance standards, and advancement opportunities were quite different for female employees.

Peralto claims Dish fired her in May 2023 for failing to report a comment by a male employee to HR, even though she reported the comment to two different supervisors. She also described other incidents she witnessed in which female employees, including herself, were subject to inappropriate behavior by male employees who received no discipline or repercussions for their actions. She didn’t report these incidents because inappropriate comments made by male employees in front of Dish executives went unchecked.

In 2022, a male employee made a sexually suggestive comment during a meeting that Peralta did not attend. Another female employee relayed the comment to Peralta, stating that she wasn’t personally offended by it. Peralta immediately told her then boss, who advised her not to report the incident to HR. She also told her new boss about the comment, who stated that he cared only about the employee’s performance, not his history with human resources. The male employee was later let go for performance-related issues after receiving three months to find a new job.

About a year later, Dish fired Peralta for failing to report the male employee’s comment to HR. The boss who fired her was one of the two to whom she reported the comment. Ultimately, Dish failed to discipline or terminate the male employee or either of the two bosses to which Peralta reported the comment.

HBL has experience in all areas of benefits and employment law, offering a comprehensive solution to all your business benefits and HR/employment needs. We help ensure you are in compliance with the complex requirements of ERISA and the IRS code, as well as those laws that impact you and your employees. Together, we reduce your exposure to potential legal or financial penalties. Learn more by calling 470-571-1007.

The following two tabs change content below.

Hall Benefits Law, LLC

HBL offers employers comprehensive legal guidance on benefits in mergers and acquisitions, Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs), executive compensation, health and welfare benefits, healthcare reform, and retirement plans. We counsel a wide spectrum of clients including small, mid-sized, and large companies, 401(k) investment advisors, health insurance brokers, accountants, attorneys, and HR consultants, just to name a few. HBL is passionate about advising clients, and we are dedicated to our mission: to provide comprehensive, personalized, and practical ERISA and benefits legal solutions that exceed client expectations.

Latest posts by Hall Benefits Law, LLC (see all)