Ex-Worker Sues Madonna, Claims Harassment
 

LOS ANGELES - A former female employee of Madonna (news - web sites)'s film company is suing the pop star and other executives of Maverick Films on claims she was sexually harassed and wrongfully terminated.



Yael Oestreich said in a lawsuit filed Wednesday in Superior Court that she was never given a promised salary increase by Chief Executive Officer Mark Morgan and that he fired her in July without cause.

The lawsuit seeks general damages, medical expenses, loss of earnings and punitive and exemplary damages. It claims Maverick Films co-founder Guy Oseary and Madonna, both listed as defendants, "failed to conduct a reasonable investigation into defendant Morgan's background before hiring him and knew or should have known of his propensity for sexual harassment and discrimination."

Phone calls to Morgan, Oseary and a Madonna publicist seeking comment weren't immediately returned early Thursday.

Oestreich, a former vice president of development at Maverick, said she was criticized by Morgan at a Nov. 11, 2003, social outing as being "uptight" for not joining in talks about sex, according to the lawsuit.

In the months that followed, the lawsuit said, Oestreich was the target of "inappropriate sexual inquiries" and also was accused of being insecure when she told managers of the alleged harassment.