Museum of Sex denies harassment, retaliation claims

The Museum of Sex in New York has denied claims of sexual harassment, retaliation and wrongful termination in a workplace discrimination lawsuit filed by a former manager, according to a recently filed court response.

Attorneys for the Museum of Sex and an executive at the museum, Edward Rogers, filed an answer last month, disputing the factual basis of the complaint brought by former employee Travis White.

White, the former retail manager for the for-profit museum’s flagship location on Fifth Avenue, filed the lawsuit in January in New York Supreme Court alleging he was subjected to a hostile work environment and fired after reporting misconduct and seeking paternity leave.

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Court Documents: Museum of Sex answers harassment suit

Documents from New York Supreme Court.

Urgent MatterAdam Schrader

He alleged he received unwanted sexual advances from product manager Kit Richardson and faced repeated sexual harassment from bar and event manager Michael DeLauretis.

The museum and Rogers admitted that White was hired as a retail manager and later terminated, but denied the remaining allegations tied to the alleged sexual harassment and retaliation and disputes over his paid family leave and working conditions.

The response does not provide a detailed alternative account of events, instead issuing broad denials to the complaint’s allegations and asserting that some claims consist of legal conclusions rather than factual assertions.

As part of their filing, the defendants raised affirmative defenses, including that the complaint fails to state a claim upon which relief can be granted and that some claims may be barred by doctrines such as waiver or estoppel.

Lawyers for Rogers and the museum argued the case doesn’t hold up legally and said some claims may be thrown out based on how long White waited to file and other legal defenses.

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