Former Blackhawks employee suing team for alleged discrimination, retaliation, per report

A former Chicago Blackhawks employee is suing the team for alleged discrimination and wrongful termination, according to The Athletic. Anthony Filomena, the former public relations manager, claims he was treated unfairly by his supervisor for being gay and that he was fired shortly after doing an interview with Outsports.

The lawsuit was filed Thursday, and in it, Filomena asserts that he endured "hostile and aggressive actions" from his supervisor. The suit also lays out Filomena's claim that he was fired on the heels of his interview with Outsports, a website covering LGBTQ+ issues in sports.

Filomena says he got approval from Blackhawks chairman and owner Danny Wirtz but claims his supervisor was still unhappy.

The Outsports interview was published on April 29, 2024. According to the lawsuit, a senior employee confronted Filomena about it three days later, saying that his department was "very angry."

After the alleged confrontation with the senior employee, Filomena states that he told his supervisor about the matter. Filomena asserted his belief that the employee's criticism was based in discrimination.

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One day after Filomena's alleged conversation with his supervisor, May 3, 2024, he was fired. The lawsuit states that the timing of Filomena's termination is "direct evidence of retaliation."

In a statement to The Athletic, the Blackhawks deny Filomena's claims that his termination had anything to do with his sexual orientation or the interview with Outsports. The team states that Filomena had "multiple instances of misconduct over a period of six months" and received a formal warning ahead of his firing.

"Mr. Filomena was terminated for cause due to multiple instances of misconduct over a period of six months," the team said in a statement. "He received multiple written communications outlining expectations including a formal, final written warning prior to his dismissal. His termination was solely due to continued misconduct and disregard for our company policies."

The lawsuit filed by Filomena claims that he had a "perfect rating" on his most recent performance review, which was conducted one month before his termination. The suit also says the team's given reasons for Filomena's firing were "either fabricated, exaggerated, or not the actual basis for the decision."

In his lawsuit, Filomena is seeking back pay with interest, front pay, lost benefits, attorneys' fees, and compensatory and punitive damages.