### Ex-Phoenix Suns Employee Sues Team Over Discrimination and Wrongful Termination

A former Phoenix Suns employee has initiated legal action against the team, citing serious allegations of harassment, racial discrimination, retaliation, and wrongful termination. The lawsuit, filed on Wednesday in the U.S. District Court in Phoenix, outlines claims from Andrea Trischan, who served as the Suns' Program Manager of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion from September 2022 until her termination in July 2023.

Trischan alleges that she experienced financial and sexual misconduct along with racial discrimination from both current and former executives within the organization. She is seeking unspecified damages to be determined at trial, but according to a statement from the Suns, her demand approximates $60 million.

"Andrea's case is built on substantial evidence that exposes a clear pattern of discrimination within the Suns organization," stated Sheree Wright, Trischan's attorney. The lawsuit includes quarterly and annual performance reviews lauding Trischan's work and email correspondences that document incidences of bias and exclusion. These pieces of evidence, according to Wright, highlight a troubling workplace culture where employee concerns were often ignored or dismissed.

Following her termination, Trischan filed a complaint with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Arizona Attorney General's office's civil rights division. However, her complaint with the Arizona Attorney General's office was dismissed on November 5 due to insufficient evidence to establish violations.

Adding to the complexity of the case, Trischan was hired shortly after the NBA suspended then-owner Robert Sarver for a year and fined him $10 million due to misconduct and a problematic workplace culture during his ownership. Trischan's role was to address these issues, including creating diversity, equity, and inclusion programs as mandated by the NBA.

The lawsuit reveals one significant instance when Trischan learned of a new diversity council formed without her consultation, comprising several Suns executives implicated in an ESPN investigation for misconduct. She voiced her concerns to her direct manager, Kim Corbitt, about the credibility of these executives for such roles, but was discouraged from investigating further.

The Suns have countered, stating that Trischan’s responsibilities did not involve investigation or employee relations. They argue that her claims are misleading and confidence that the courts will find her lawsuit baseless. Trischan, who was placed on a performance improvement plan in late May 2023 before her termination, described facing a hostile work environment involving harassment, discrimination, and retaliation.

Despite attempts at mediation between Trischan and the Suns, no settlement was reached. Notably, some executives named in prior misconduct allegations have since left the organization, including Kyle Pottinger and Melissa Goldenberg. Jason Rowley, another implicated executive, resigned in February 2023, shortly before new ownership was assumed by billionaire Mat Ishbia, who acquired the Suns and the Mercury at a $4 billion valuation.