A male executive fired from luxury Terranea Resort claims he was terminated for defending his female employees against pregnancy discrimination by the resort’s president who allegedly asked women if they were pregnant and monitored them through security cameras.
Key Takeaways
- Former marketing executive Chad Bustos has filed a lawsuit against Terranea Resort alleging pregnancy discrimination and retaliation after defending his all-female team.
- Resort president Ralph Grippo allegedly asked women if they were pregnant, monitored employees through security cameras, and pressured Bustos to discipline women for minor infractions.
- Bustos claims he was fired in August 2024 after reporting Grippo’s discriminatory behavior to human resources and confronting him directly.
- California law explicitly prohibits employers from inquiring about pregnancy status and protects employees from discrimination based on pregnancy.
- This lawsuit follows a previous 2017 sexual harassment case against the resort that resulted in a $250,000 settlement.
Executive Claims Retaliation for Standing Against Pregnancy Discrimination
Chad Bustos, who supervised an all-female marketing team at the upscale Terranea Resort in Palos Verdes, California, has filed a lawsuit alleging his termination was retaliation for opposing pregnancy discrimination. The lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court, names both the resort and its president, Ralph Grippo, as defendants. Bustos had worked at the resort since 2023 and previously maintained an 11-year professional relationship with Grippo at another company before joining Terranea.
“Are you pregnant?” asked Ralph Grippo, Terranea Resort President.
According to court documents, the workplace atmosphere changed dramatically in February 2024 when Grippo allegedly reacted with anger to a team member’s maternity leave announcement. Following this incident, Grippo reportedly began questioning female employees about their pregnancy status during meetings – a direct violation of California law that prohibits employers from inquiring about medical conditions, including pregnancy. The hostile work environment intensified as Grippo allegedly began using security cameras to monitor the marketing team’s work hours.
Alleged Harassment and Surveillance of Female Employees
The lawsuit describes a pattern of targeted scrutiny against the female marketing team. Bustos alleges that Grippo pressured him to issue disciplinary write-ups for minor infractions to the women on his team, whom Bustos described as “very talented and hardworking.” Despite the team’s high performance, Grippo allegedly criticized them in May 2024 for not working hard enough. The court documents further claim that Grippo penalized a pregnant employee for being late due to morning sickness and made comments questioning women’s ability to balance work and family responsibilities.
“very talented and hardworking,” said Chad Bustos, Former Marketing Executive at Terranea Resort.
The situation highlights the ongoing challenges women face in the workplace when exercising their legal rights to maternity leave. Rather than supporting working mothers through accommodations that would retain valuable talent, the lawsuit alleges that Terranea’s leadership took a punitive approach. When Bustos defended his team members, the complaint states that he became a target himself, ultimately leading to his termination in August 2024 after he reported Grippo’s behavior to human resources.
Legal Implications and Previous Misconduct Allegations
This lawsuit brings serious legal implications for Terranea Resort, as California law provides strong protections against workplace discrimination based on pregnancy. Legal experts note that anti-pregnancy comments can constitute evidence of sex discrimination. Terranea Resort, co-owned by JC Resorts and Lowe Enterprises, has not responded to requests for comment on the allegations. This is not the first time the luxury resort has faced legal challenges related to its treatment of employees.
“should be important for everybody,” said Chad Bustos, Former Marketing Executive at Terranea Resort.
In 2017, the resort settled a lawsuit with Sandra Pezqueda for $250,000 after she alleged sexual harassment and retaliation. The current case adds to concerns about the resort’s workplace culture and treatment of employees. For conservatives who value family and oppose government overreach, this case presents an interesting intersection – while we generally favor less regulation on businesses, we also recognize the importance of protecting the family unit and ensuring employees are not discriminated against for embracing parenthood.
