Misconduct in the News in January 2025

New year, new headlines—and January 2025 hasn’t held back. Blake Lively’s harassment lawsuit and the shocking case of 167 women filing lawsuits against Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and OB/GYN Barry J. Brock for decades of alleged abuse highlight the ongoing issues of misconduct in workplaces across industries. Whether in Hollywood, healthcare, or law enforcement, these stories serve as a powerful reminder of the work still needed to create safe and respectful environments.

Here are the top headlines that have surfaced this month:

Blake Lively’s Harassment Lawsuit – What HR Pros Need to Know

“In Lively’s view, she endured sexual harassment and a hostile work environment while working on-set with Baldoni. She also claimed she faced retaliation – a public smear campaign – for speaking out about the alleged misconduct.” (HR Morning)

HR lessons from the Gregg Wallace case

“The allegations surrounding MasterChef presenter Gregg Wallace have once again put workplace conduct in the spotlight. The case is a reminder for employers, and HR, to take a proactive approach….Reports suggest that inappropriate sexual comments were allegedly made over a prolonged period of time, and that these comments affected female colleagues, even those who were not directly targeted.” (HR Magazine)

Ex-top NYPD official suspended, has home searched amid sex misconduct probe

“The NYPD's former highest-ranking uniformed officer has been suspended from the department, and multiple locations tied to him, including his home, have been searched in what is now apparently a federal criminal investigation into alleged sexual misconduct, the head of the nation's largest police force confirmed Thursday.” (NBC New York)

Santa Barbara Judge accused of misconduct

“A Santa Barbara Superior Court judge is facing formal proceedings over allegations of misconduct related to him acting as an attorney for a love interest and for disparaging other judges and court staff.” (Cal Coast News)

21-year-old intern gets called a 'motherf****er' by boss barely 1 month after joining firm

“A 21-year-old intern recently shared his harrowing experience of workplace bullying on social media, highlighting the toxic behavior of his boss, who berated him over minor mistakes. In a Reddit post, he recounted a recent incident where his boss angrily called him an "motherf****er'' for a minor error in a draft he had submitted.” (The Economic Times)

Former Livingston County assistant district attorney charged with official misconduct

“Francisco, 30, of Monroe County, was charged with one count of official misconduct stemming from an alleged inappropriate relationship he had with a crime victim during his tenure with the Livingston County District Attorney's office, a news release said.” (Democrat and Chronicle)

Kate Beckinsale Details Years of On-Set Harassment: “Complaining About Abuse Should Not Beget More Abuse”

“In an Instagram video, the actress recalled being physically harmed by a male co-star while filming a fight scene, a publicist forcing her to do a photo shoot “the day after I had a miscarriage" and being "felt up" by a crewmember at age 18.” (The Hollywood Reporter)

Documents: Washington Co. prosecutor shared shirtless photos, made sexually-charged remarks to colleagues

“County documents detail a sexual harassment investigation into former Washington County Chief Deputy District Attorney Bracken McKey.

The documents allege McKey showed or texted shirtless photos to multiple coworkers, frequently made sexually-charged or body-shaming comments about co-workers’ bodies, and shared detailed information about dating and sexual encounters.” (KPTV)

Northamptonshire Police officer dismissed for sending messages to 14-year-old girl

“A police officer has been dismissed without notice after he sent sexual messages to a vulnerable 14-year-old girl he met on the job.

Northamptonshire Police constable Matthew Hunt acted with "predatory sexual intent" towards the girl, sending her messages that referenced sexual activity, according to a misconduct panel into his behaviour.” (Sky News)

Superintendent accused of sexual harassment in lawsuits from 2 former principals

“Williams' lawsuit alleged that some of the harassment happened at a dinner with Davis, where work was supposed to be discussed…. ‘Work was not discussed, school was not discussed, teaching was not discussed,’ Sierra said. ‘Instead, sex was discussed, relationships were discussed.’" (KSDK)

Amid superintendent investigation, Akron school board calls then cancels special meeting

The special meeting was supposed to address an ongoing misconduct investigation into Superintendent Michael Robinson. According to the Akron Beacon Journal, “Robinson has been accused in letters to board members and the district's attorney of workplace misconduct, including yelling at employees and creating a hostile work environment. His former communications director also accused Robinson of calling two female reporters a derogatory slur during a closed-door meeting last year in which representatives from human resources were present.” (Akron Beacon Journal)

167 Female Patients File Lawsuits Against Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and OB/GYN Barry J. Brock for Decades-Long Cover-Up of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse

“The DiPietro Law Firm and Arias Sanguinetti have filed their third civil lawsuit against disgraced OB/GYN Barry J. Brock and Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in the Los Angeles Superior Court. Today’s legal action was filed on behalf of 107 additional women who were exploited and abused by Brock under the guise of medical care at Cedars-Sinai in Beverly Hills. The firms filed two other cases in recent months against both Brock and Cedars-Sinai, bringing the total number of patients filing lawsuits to 167 individual claims.” (Business Wire)

Skip Bayless, Fox Sports executive named in lawsuit alleging sexual, workplace harassment

“A former Fox Sports hairstylist filed a lawsuit that alleges a network executive forcefully touched her and used his position ‘to sexually harass women.’ The suit also claims former personality Skip Bayless offered to pay the hairstylist for sex.” (USA Today)

Joy Taylor named in sexual harassment lawsuit alongside Fox Sports executives

“Fox Sports broadcaster Joy Taylor has been named in a 42-page lawsuit alleging sexual harassment and misconduct, alongside Skip Bayless and other Fox employees. The lawsuit, filed by former Fox Sports hairstylist Noushin Faraji, details claims of workplace misconduct, including battery and harassment, during her tenure with the network from 2012 to August 2023.” (Tribune)

TikTok prankster jailed for spraying groceries with pesticides for clicks

“The 27-year-old, known online as Wolfie Kahletti and Wolfie Party, faces a felony count for ‘introducing poison,’ along with three misdemeanor charges for criminal damage, endangerment, and theft after the Dec. 19 incident at the store.” (The Washington Post)

Embattled California Sheriff Fights Back After Scandal, Says Law Enforcement a "white man's world"

“A 2024 investigative report by former judge LaDoris Cordell alleges ‘lies, secrecy, intimidation, retaliation, conflicts of interest, and abuses of authority’ under Corpus’ administration. The report claims Corpus handed control of the office to her former assistant sheriff and romantic partner, Victor Aenlle, creating a severe conflict of interest.” (NewsBreak)

Election officials advance campaign finance complaint against state senator prompted by Colorado Sun reporting

State elections officials said the complaint filed against Sen. Sonya Jaquez Lewis “identified one or more potential violations of Colorado campaign finance law” (Colorado Sun) 

Magic Johnson denied abusing employees as Lakers president: "I never sat in an HR person's office for 35 years"

“The accusations came via an ESPN.com story that painted a harsh picture of the Lakers legend's leadership style—not on the court but as an executive. Former employees reportedly described a toxic workplace culture and harsh treatment.” (Basketball Network)

Joe Budden Faces Lewdness Charge After Allegedly Walking Naked in Public

This latest incident is far from Budden’s first brush with public drama. Over the years, he’s sparred with neighbors over noisy podcast sessions, faced allegations of workplace misconduct in 2021, and weathered assault accusations in 2014, which were ultimately dismissed. Each controversy has bolstered his reputation as a polarizing figure who thrives in chaos. (Hypefresh)  

Over 700 U.K. McDonald's Workers Planning Legal Action Against Chain amid Allegations of 'Widespread Harassment,' Law Firm Says

"Hundreds of former and current McDonald's employees in restaurants across the United Kingdom are planning legal action against the fast food chain amid ongoing workplace misconduct allegations.

'Clients have described experiences of discrimination, homophobia, racism, ableism, and harassment,' legal firm Leigh Day claimed in a news release obtained by PEOPLE" (People)

While the year may be new, these headlines echo familiar challenges. As organizations continue to face these difficult issues, it’s crucial to stay informed and proactive. To learn more or hear deeper insights into the details of these scandals, listen to our #9to5Nightmares podcast. Want more real-life stories? Tune in to WRKdefined’s Mandatory Meeting: Workplace Misconduct podcast for even more workplace horror tales.

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