One of five women suing the largest licensee of a top-seller in the cannabis industry, alleging they were all wrongfully terminated on or about 2022 because of their gender and replaced by men, won a round in court when a judge ruled she can proceed with her claims for now.
Halley Gager, Kristyn Rawlings, Brittany Carr, Brianna Zemel and Ali Lefebvre brought their complaint in Los Angeles Superior Court against TRP Management Co. LLC, alleging multiple causes of additional allegations that include discrimination, retaliation, failure to prevent discrimination and various violations of the state Labor Code.
On Monday, Judge Lia Martin issued a ruling regarding plaintiff Zemel only, overruling TRP’s motion to remove her as a plaintiff. According to company attorneys, Zemel lives in Nevada and has no ties to California.
“It would be futile to provide leave to amend as there is no dispute that her termination and related events relevant to plaintiff’s claims occurred outside of California, in Las Vegas, Nevada,” TRP lawyers argued in their court papers.
According to the quintet’s suit, an executive panel of TRP men “played a significant role in perpetuating the bro culture and gender disparity that is present throughout the company. Their management and leadership styles fostered an atmosphere that excluded women.”
TRP is licensed by Cookies Creative Consulting and Promotion, a worldwide brand and top producer in the cannabis industry that provides access to more than 150 varieties and product lines. TRP has established a network of cannabis dispensaries across several states in the U.S., including high-profile locations in California and newer markets on the East Coast.
According to the suit, TRP’s former COO hired many talented women, including Rawlings, Gager and Carr. Those women in turn brought in the other two plaintiffs.
But when the COO left, team leaders such as Rawlings and Carr, along with their subordinates, were exposed to “the glaring realities of gender inequality and discrimination within the executive level, and ultimately, the company.”
Within TRP’s product team, there were seven members, comprised of four women and three men. Among the members of the team were Rawlings, Gager, Lefebvre and Zemel. All four women were let go, ostensibly due to a workforce reduction, but the men were kept and promoted after the women were terminated, according to the suit.
Carr, who is Black, was terminated under the pretext that the entire marketing team was being eliminated, but in reality TRP hired a male independent to take over her duties, according to the suit, which further alleges TRP’s president “questioned (Carr’s) ability and skills based on her gender and racial identity.”
“These experiences serve as evidence of the deeply ingrained and systemic nature of gender discrimination at TRP, which has negatively impacted the plaintiffs and other female employees at the company,” the suit filed Jan. 2 states.
The case is scheduled for trial Sept. 7, 2027.