A monetary advisor in search of a job with Ameriprise Monetary misplaced out on the prospect after rebuffing sexual advances from the department supervisor appearing because the “go-between” between her and the agency, in accordance with a brand new lawsuit filed in Florida state court docket.
Deborah Lennon is suing Ameriprise for violating the Florida Civil Rights Act and is in search of monetary damages.
Learn the lawsuit
Based on Lennon’s criticism, round March 2022, Lennon sought a monetary advisor place at Ameriprise in St. Augustine, Fla., and interacted with Francis “Chip” Cerovac, who she described as Ameriprise’s “unique level of contact” within the space. Based on Amerprise’s web site, Chip Cerovac is a department supervisor and vice chairman at The Cornerstone Group, a Daytona Seashore-based Ameriprise agency.
Lennon met Cerovac at a number of Amerirprise occasions, together with a tour of the agency’s Daytona Seashore workplace, and he allegedly offered himself as “the particular person accountable” for deciding whether or not Amerirprise would rent Lennon.
Nevertheless, in the course of the hiring course of, Cerovac allegedly despatched Lennon textual content messages, starting with skilled pleasantries. The messages shortly escalated to him sending photographs of himself, requesting Lennon ship him footage of herself, “complimenting (Lennon’s) bodily attributes and sharing love ballads together with her,” in accordance with the criticism.
By the tip of April, Cerovac allegedly informed Lennon Ameriprise would decide to rent her throughout the subsequent week, and after they met on Could 6, Lennon anticipated a job provide.
“On the assembly, Mr. Cerovac didn’t talk the provide, however as an alternative, introduced her flowers and propositioned her to have interaction in sexual exercise with him,” the criticism learn. “(Lennon) declined Mr. Cerovac’s advances.”
Nevertheless, after Lennon rejected him, Cerovac “stopped speaking” together with her concerning the new place and solely spoke to her about “his romantic curiosity” in her, a state of affairs that made Lennon really feel “unsafe,” in accordance with the criticism. Lennon argued that it was obvious that Cerovac was a “gatekeeper” to her employment provide, which might solely come if she acquiesced.
“(Lennon’s) employment with Ameriprise was conditioned on her partaking in a sexual relationship with Mr. Cerovac,” the criticism learn.
At this level, Lennon withdrew her identify from consideration for a task at Ameriprise, in accordance with the criticism.
Lennon is in search of a jury trial, claiming she “suffered, and continues to undergo” financial damages, together with previous and future earnings, compensation and advantages, in addition to the ache and affected by emotional misery.
Ameriprise stated it was conscious of the lawsuit however declined additional remark. Cerovac and attorneys representing Lennon didn’t reply to requests for remark previous to publication.
