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In a move both stunningly homophobic and misogynistic, Eventique's CEO Henry Liron David reportedly slashed one of his employees' pay in half because he was gay and was being paid "so much more than the other females in the office."
The now ex-employee of Eventique, Wesley Wernecke, is now suing the company for discrimination after a number of other alienating practices have come to light.
@Eventiquevents @EventiqueAffair On top of Wesley Wernecke's suit, I encourage all female staff members to file a… https://t.co/DNZfzuOn09— My Dog Likes Me. I think. (@My Dog Likes Me. I think.) 1573838369.0
@MindySchaefer I hope Wesley Wernecke wins big. ://www.lgbtqnation.com/2019/11/gay-mans-salary-cut-half-came-now-he… https://t.co/x61qvyzchN— Jim (@Jim) 1573755306.0
Eventique owner Henry “Liron” David is responsible for this outrageous enraging discrimination. When will we just a… https://t.co/58uXhsPVeL— Mindy Schaefer Gaines (@Mindy Schaefer Gaines) 1573697294.0
@nypost https://t.co/1gzJt76jlz— Hef (@Hef) 1573695880.0
@nypost https://t.co/Le6cpsRsJR— Steve Green (@Steve Green) 1573696838.0
Wernecke stated that when he was asked whether or not his "wife's" engagement ring looked similar to the one he was wearing, he responded that his partner, Evan, did.
From there, Wernecke said, the tension rose to a fever pitch.
@NBCNewYork Because “events planning” is obviously such a macho world, much like being on an oil rig or working as… https://t.co/o6WK71JVBl— Is anybody there? (@Is anybody there?) 1573836599.0
wesley wernecke, a happily married, gay man, was discriminated by his boss because of his sexual orientation. he wa… https://t.co/XlM6dPPLJG— sylvie t (@sylvie t) 1573696221.0
@sylviet2021 This goes in with my first tweet actually—there’s still no protection for lgbtq+ discrimination in the… https://t.co/GZ6Ex1Xzjc— Ella P (@Ella P) 1573697983.0
@sylviet2021 it’s so sad that occurrences like this are still common— Bayley H (@Bayley H) 1573712102.0
Wernecke said that from that point on, the company began to exclude him from the workplace, including "professional meetings and office social events," and that he was "passed over for assignments with large commissions and subject to discriminatory remarks."
And then Wernecke's pay was cut by 40%, from $145,000 to $70,000, and then again down to $58,000. When asked why he was making such a slash to Wernecke's salary, David simply replied "I couldn't sleep at night thinking that you were being paid so much more than the other females in the office."
Doesn't Wesley Wernecke have an employment contract with CEO Henry Liron David? This story seems odd, especially wh… https://t.co/Km5xXFGU4Z— Yusuf Hameed, MD (@Yusuf Hameed, MD) 1573815360.0
@eventique4u is possibly both #homophobic co. & #discriminate against women too in NYC by paying them far less th… https://t.co/N5qW0n6xQS— Ms. Mellymel (@Ms. Mellymel) 1573787189.0
Looks like Eventique is about to be gay owned and operated after he sues the shit out of them...... https://t.co/b41IBOkr1H— DJ Eugene Edo (@DJ Eugene Edo) 1573831610.0
Yikes...I bet #Eventique wishes they never hired the manager who did this to their staffer and permanently ruined t… https://t.co/jGI6EgOMLn— WoofAlert (@WoofAlert) 1573832609.0
https://t.co/EFuKMNG5DW puts itself as a completely homophobic and hate fuelled organisation with direct attacks ag… https://t.co/8bq8u7bkj6— Sarah 🏳️🌈 #GTTO #VoteLabour (@Sarah 🏳️🌈 #GTTO #VoteLabour) 1573737071.0
On October 4th, Wernecke was eventually fired.
"David simply could not bear the thought that Eventique would continue to be represented by a gay man," states the discrimination suit filed against David and the company.
David's lawyer has called the accusations "baseless."
"These acts cannot be reconciled with the liberal anti-discrimination positions written into law in New York City and State to protect lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, and transgender people in their workplaces," Wernecke's lawyer, Anthony Consiglio said.
Perhaps this event will start a conversation about the dearth of LGBTQ+ protections in the workplace.