Photo Credit: ShutterstockThe aftermath of Disney’s decision to transfer hundreds of employees from California to Florida unfolds further, with a new class action lawsuit filed on Tuesday in Los Angeles Superior Court. Attorneys representing current Disney employees Maria De La Cruz, George Fong, and others similarly affected seek a jury trial in this legal action.
The lawsuit centers on employees like De La Cruz, a vice president of product design, and Fong, a creative director of product design, who claim they were misled into relocating from Disney’s California offices to the proposed Lake Nona, Florida development. Subsequently, Disney reversed its decision to require 2,000 employees to move to Florida, leading to the closure of the planned Lake Nona campus amid a dispute with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. This left numerous Disney employees in disarray—some who had already relocated, others facing unemployment, and still more compelled to return to California.
The lawsuit portrays a distressing narrative of employees being coerced into moving and then abruptly returned to their previous circumstances. “These employees were compelled to sell their homes in Southern California and uproot their lives because Disney represented that their job security and work environment would be centralized and modernized in Florida,” the lawsuit states. It alleges that Disney promoted the new facilities, collaborative spaces, amenities, and affordable housing options in Orlando, but ultimately failed to deliver on these promises.
The legal complaint also accuses Disney of withholding information that contradicted its representations to induce employee relocation. Despite Disney acknowledging its mistake and apologizing to affected employees, the lawsuit seeks redress for what it characterizes as a betrayal of trust towards Disney’s most loyal employees.
Attorney Jason S. Lohr commented, “The employees most affected were Disney’s most dedicated. Disney must rectify this situation for their loyal workforce.”
