SAN DIEGO — Five former employees of the San Diego Wave Football Club have filed a lawsuit over claims they were discriminated against and sexually harassed by a football club staff member.
In a non-conformed lawsuit obtained by CBS 8, attorneys for the five employees say that working for the women's professional soccer club was a dream come true that was quickly shattered not long after starting.
Reads the lawsuit, "What employees often found when arriving at [San Diego Wave] was more of a nightmare. Instead, employees found a culture that at best required walking on eggshells and at worst reduced many to tears."
Examples of the nightmarish work culture in the lawsuit include failures by top executives to investigate reports of sexual assaults by staff, retaliating against employees for taking time off to care for sick family members, discriminating against Latino employees, and reports of sexual assault.
The allegations were first raised in July 2024 when some of the plaintiffs who are now suing took to social media to air their grievances.
At the time, San Diego Wave President Jill Ellis said the accusations posted on social media were false.
“When allegations of mistreatment have been made, we have taken them seriously and investigated them thoroughly... At no time have those evaluations uncovered any wrongdoing by the club,” Ellis wrote in a statement to the news media.
“What we do is all about fostering a culture of respect, inclusivity, and excellence. The false accusations in (Wednesday’s) post are not only personally damaging but also take away from the incredible work and progress we've achieved together as a team. It's important to address this information promptly and effectively,” Ellis wrote.
In July, former team videographer, Brittany Alvarado, one of the plaintiffs in the case, urged that Ellis be fired.
"The treatment we endured under club president Jill Ellis has been nothing short of life-altering and devastating to our mental health. She has compromised countless lives to advance her narcissistic personal agenda, “ Alvarado posted.
Alvarado also included a screen shot of an email she claimed a Wave FC manager sent her, calling her "pathetic" after she resigned last month.
Wave FC posted the following response on "X" calling the harassment claims defamatory and threatening legal action:
“San Diego Wave FC has been made aware of a recent social media post by a former employee that contains inaccurate and defamatory statements about the club. Not only does the post contain a fabricated email, but the claims made therein are categorically false, including the ones directed at our president Jill Ellis. San Diego Wave FC currently is reviewing this situation and it intends to pursue all legal avenues to appropriately address this matter.”
Former Wave star Alex Morgan, who has since retired, shared this message after learning about the allegations last July:
“I am disappointed to hear about the allegations made by multiple former Wave FC employees today. As players, we have worked hard to build a team that is surrounded by an inclusive, positive and safe environment. But it’s important to me that we are creating that environment for both players AND staff throughout the entire organization. Equity in the workplace is something I have and will continue to advocate for. I want to be proud of what we are building at the Wave but it is clear that there is so much work to be done.”
CBS 8 reached out to the San Diego Wave for comment on the lawsuit. A spokesperson said the club does not comment on pending litigation.
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