Problem:
Jessica Featherston, a professional lighting technician with the Production Resource Group (PRG), was unexpectedly removed from the roster for an upcoming tour shortly after filing a sexual harassment report regarding incidents during the 2023 Trans-Siberian Orchestra (TSO) tour. During this tour, Michael Robertson, a crew chief from a partner company who is a biological male identifying as a woman, displayed sexually inappropriate behavior in the women’s locker room. Despite Ms. Featherston’s attempts to address the situation by reporting it to her crew chief, she was ridiculed for expressing the need for “safe showers.” Following this, Robertson directly approached Ms. Featherston and violated her boundaries at work. After the tour ended, she filed a formal complaint with a PRG labor coordinator, who assured her that her report would not adversely affect her future employment. However, shortly after, she was taken off the 2024 tour roster, while Robertson faced no consequences for his actions, leaving TSO and its partners complicit in workplace harassment.
Action:
AFL, in partnership with the Independent Women’s Forum and Murphy Ball Stratton LLP, sued TSO and other entities for failing to address Ms. Featherston’s sexual harassment reports and retaliating against her by suddenly removing her from the 2024 TSO tour.
Result:
This case is currently being litigated.
