New York City, October 8, 2024 – In a developing story, a second umpire has stepped forward to join a lawsuit against Major League Baseball, alleging wrongful termination after reporting a sexual assault incident involving a fellow umpire.
Alexander Lawrie, a former minor league umpire, has added his name to the amended complaint, claiming he was fired on April 1, citing “performance issues” as the reason. However, Lawrie alleges that his termination was actually retaliation for reporting the sexual assault incident, which occurred on March 17, to the Association of Minor League Umpires, the union representing him.
The incident allegedly took place following an Umps Care charity event, where Lawrie claims he was assaulted by Gina Quartararo, a fellow umpire. This new development comes on the heels of an original lawsuit filed by Brandon Cooper, another minor league umpire, who alleged that Quartararo used derogatory language and slurs towards him due to his sexual orientation.
Cooper’s lawsuit, filed in federal court in Manhattan last April, accused MLB of creating a hostile work environment and wrongful termination based on gender and sexual orientation, violating New York state and city laws. The amended complaint now includes an additional claim of violating Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has issued a right to sue to Cooper, and Lawrie has filed a request for a right to sue. MLB and Quartararo have declined to comment on the matter.
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