In new court papers, attorneys for Ye and the Donda Academy deny the allegations of a former school worker who alleges he was wrongfully fired in 2024 and is still owed thousands of dollars in back wages for two months of work.
Gregory Alan Avila’s Los Angeles Superior Court lawsuit also alleges whistleblower retaliation, intentional infliction of emotional distress and various state labor code violations. Neither Avila nor an attorney representing him showed up for a scheduled case management conference on Monday, prompting Judge Joseph Lipner to rescheduled the proceeding for March 6. Lawyer Catherine M. Cherkasky appeared on behalf of Ye.
In court papers also filed Monday by the Cherkasky firm, all of Avila’s allegations are denied and multiple defenses are cited, including that the plaintiff was an at-will employee subject to termination for legitimate, non-retaliatory and non-discriminatory business reasons.
The Ye attorneys’ court papers also contend that Avila’s allegations are barred wholly or in part by the statute of limitations.
According to Avila’s suit, Donda program director Tianne King offered him a job in December 2023, telling him that his experience and talent in the music industry would make him an excellent fit with Ye’s companies. Avila, who had previously worked for both Yeezy and Donda and was an avid fan of the singer, was “thrilled” with the chance to return and expand his opportunities in music, the suit filed last March 19 states.
Avila’s position was a coach and he was to be paid $10,000 a month, but by February 2024 he noticed he was not paid for the previous month, according to the suit. King said he would be compensated soon and that in the interim he should “get back to work,” according to the suit, which further states that the plaintiff believed King and followed her orders.
That same month, Avila suffered an on-the-job head injury and reported it to management, which upset King, who was concerned about the potential liability to Ye and Donda, the suit states. Fearing retaliation, Avila decided against pursuing any legal claims against the defendants, the complaint further states.
Although King again assured Avila in February 2024 that he would be paid for his work, that same month she told him he was being terminated with yet another assurance he would receive his unpaid wages and also be considered for future employment, the suit states.
However, to date Avila is still owed payment for the months of January and February 2024 and King has ignored his emails asking for payment, the suit states. He also says that after his termination, Donda contended that he was an independent contractor despite King’s earlier assertions that he was to be an employee.
Avila, who left another job to take the position at Donda, has suffered both lost wages and emotional distress, the suit states.