A former risk management director has filed a wrongful termination lawsuit against Netflix, alleging that the streaming service giant fostered a sexual workplace culture that subjected her to unwanted sexual advances. The case is Jessica Combs v. Netflix Inc., Case Number 24STCV18761, Superior Court of the State of California, County of Los Angeles.
Jessica Combs recently filed claims of discrimination, retaliatory termination, sexual harassment, failure to prevent sexual harassment, negligence, wrongful termination, hostile work environment, and breach of the covenant of good faith and fair dealing against Netflix, where she worked from May 2017 until her termination in December 2021. She accuses Netflix of perpetuating a sexually inappropriate workplace culture that promoted a core value of “curiosity” about employees’ personal and professional lives. The company encouraged participation in one-on-one meetings and team-building exercises that resulted in other workers asking sexually inappropriate questions, flirting, and making unsolicited sexual advances. Alcohol use was also pervasive in the workplace, work-related events not sponsored by the company, and happy hours after work. Combs said failure to participate in these activities resulted in a lack of access to promotions.
Netflix allegedly fired Combs for violating a “reasonable employer rule” when she refused the company’s mandate to get a COVID-19 vaccine, which the company established in April 2021. Combs was working from home then, and Netflix had yet to establish a return-to-office date. Netflix would reopen its offices in April 2022.
The company rejected Combs’ application for an exemption from the vaccine mandate and refused to allow her to submit negative tests instead of getting the vaccine. Netflix likewise refused a request to change Combs’ primary work location from Los Angeles to London.
Netflix then terminated Combs for failing to follow the mandated vaccine policy and gave her four months’ severance pay. Combs claimed that directors customarily received six months’ severance pay. Netflix also declined Combs’ application for unemployment compensation benefits, as she had refused to sign the severance agreement.
In her suit, Combs argues that her termination for violating the vaccine mandate was a pretext for her speaking out against Netflix’s actively promoted “curiosity” value and sexual environment. Despite this environment, however, Combs continued to rise through the ranks in her department, receiving exemplary performance reviews and eventually becoming a director.
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