A former executive for the Milken Institute has dropped her lawsuit against the Santa Monica-based economic think tank, in which she alleged she was fired in 2022 in retaliation after she had already decided to resign due to her claims of a hostile work environment stemming from her struggles with depression.
Lawyers for plaintiff Nora Super filed court papers on Tuesday with Beverly Hills Superior Court Judge Helen Zukin asking that their client’s lawsuit be dismissed “without prejudice,” meaning it can be refiled later. The court papers do not state if a settlement was reached or if Super is not pursuing the case for other reasons.
Brought on Jan. 31, the complaint alleged disability discrimination, retaliation, harassment and violation of the California Family Rights Act. She sought unspecified compensatory and punitive damages.
Super was hired in April 2018 as the director, policy and programs, for Milken’s Center for the Future of Aging, then promoted in January 2019 to senior director and finally to executive director in January 2022, the suit stated.
Super has been featured in Forbes magazine’s “50 Over 50” recognition of successful women over age 50 and has served as the executive director of the White House Conference on Aging, the suit stated.
Super disclosed her mental health diagnosis to Milken often, which centers around a major depressive disorder that she opened up about on stage during a Milken Future of Health Summit, the suit stated. She also published an essay about her experience with depression in November 2021, according to the suit.
However, Super found out that Milken’s actions did not match its purported support of her mental diagnosis and its public support of mental health benefits for all, the suit stated.
“Instead, Ms. Super was treated less favorably than her colleagues because of her disability and subjected to a hostile work environment,” the suit alleged.
Super was effectively demoted during a reorganization last summer, causing her severe emotional distress, the suit stated.
“When Ms. Super expressed dissatisfaction with this unfavorable treatment, she was met with hostility and anger from the company,” the suit stated.
Super continued to clash with management over various issues, according to the suit.
“As a result of these interactions, Ms. Super felt demoralized and singled out, creating a work environment that quickly became intolerable as Ms. Super struggled to stay afloat in light of her mental health struggles,” the suit stated.
Super was told she was “insubordinate” during a telephone call with a former peer who had been promoted and that the plaintiff would be fired if she “engaged in any further unprofessional or hurtful behavior,” according to the suit.
Super, unable to further tolerate the work environment, offered her resignation last August and agreed to remain for another two months to assist in the transition, but the company instead fired her Sept. 14 while she was on medical leave recovering from skin cancer surgery, the suit stated.
“The company unexpectedly terminated (Super) in retaliation for her decision to challenge (Milken’s) discriminatory treatment of her by resigning,” the suit alleged.