Ex-Suns employee sues team, alleges discrimination, retaliation - ESPN

A former Phoenix Suns employee sued the team Wednesday, citing allegations of harassment, racial discrimination, retaliation and wrongful termination, according to a copy of the lawsuit obtained by ESPN.

In the lawsuit, Andrea Trischan, who was the Suns' program manager of diversity, equity and inclusion from September 2022 until July 2023, also alleges financial misconduct, sexual misconduct and racial discrimination by current and former team executives.

Lawyers for Trischan filed the lawsuit in the U.S. District Court in Phoenix. Trischan is asking for unspecified damages to be determined at trial. In a statement, the Suns said Trischan is seeking $60 million.

«Andrea's case is built on substantial evidence that establishes a clear and undeniable pattern of discrimination within the Suns organization,» Trischan's attorney, Sheree Wright, wrote in a statement to ESPN. «Key pieces of evidence include her quarterly and annual performance reviews, which consistently highlight her exceptional work, and email correspondence documenting instances of bias and exclusion. This evidence paints a stark picture of a workplace culture rife with discriminatory practices, where concerns raised by employees were systematically ignored or dismissed.»

After being terminated by the Suns in July 2023, Trischan filed a complaint with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Arizona Attorney General's office's civil rights division. Her complaint with the Arizona Attorney General's office was dismissed on Nov. 5 because the «information obtained is not sufficient to establish violations,» according to a copy of the dismissal obtained by ESPN. The dismissal noted that it wasn't concluding whether the Suns were or were not in