The former head of development of a Venice-based video production company is suing the firm’s co-founder, alleging she was forced to resign after he attacked her work performance in retaliation for rebuffing his sexual advances.
The allegations in 32-year-old Astrid Carlen-Helmer’s Los Angeles Superior Court lawsuit include sexual harassment, wrongful termination and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Named as defendants are HKCorp. and its co-founder and CEO, David Gitlis.
The complaint, filed Monday, seeks at least $350,000 in damages.
Gitlis, 41, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Carlen-Helmer was hired at HKCorp. in February 2019 and Gitlis was her supervisor, according to the suit, which alleges the plaintiff subsequently entered into a romantic relationship with him.
Carlen-Helmer alleges Gitlis kept the relationship secret in order to mislead his wife, his family and the public and promised the plaintiff that he would one day leave his wife for her.
Meanwhile, Carlen-Helmer worked hard at the company and was complimented for her efforts by Gitlis, according to her court papers.
The two agreed last May that their relationship should end and Carlen-Helmer got a new boyfriend five months later, but Gitlis continued to make advances and maintain a sexual relationship with the plaintiff, the suit states. He also would stare at her and make unwelcome sexually-oriented remarks, according to the complaint.
After finding out in November that Carlen-Helmer was romantically involved with someone he knew, he began to berate her and ridicule her work in retaliation, the suit alleges.
Gitlis confronted Carlen-Helmer outside the company later that month after seeing her with her boyfriend at a party, the suit states.
“At this time, once he cornered her, he went in a jealous rampage, yelled at her, berated her, verbally accosted her and threatened to physically harm her boyfriend,” the suit alleges.
Carlen-Helmer feared for her safety, according to her court papers, which allege Gitlis’ retaliation, harassment and abuse worsened as she continued to refuse to make herself available to him for sex. He then falsely accused Carlen-Helmer of misappropriating data from the company, the suit alleges.
Carlen-Helmer, who believes the company did not have a human resources department for her to lodge a complaint, resigned to “remove herself from the sexually charged, hostile work environment, and Gitlis’ abuse,” the suit alleges.
Carlen-Helmer has suffered emotional distress, depression, humiliation and shame because of her alleged mistreatment by Gitlis, according to her court papers.