Woman Sues Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles for Wrongful Termination

A woman is taking legal action against the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles, claiming she was unjustly fired from her position as director of Discovery Gardens Fullerton preschool. The lawsuit alleges that she was wrongfully classified as a salaried employee to avoid paying her overtime, violating multiple state Labor Code regulations.

Cynthia Greenspan filed the lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court, seeking compensatory and punitive damages for unpaid overtime and wages. The lawsuit was filed on Wednesday.

A spokesperson for the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles, Robert Williams, released a statement in response to the lawsuit, stating, “We believe in fair treatment for all employees and compliance with the law. However, we currently have limited information about this matter.”

Greenspan was hired as the preschool director in January 2022. Her responsibilities included managing and operating the campus alongside the Emmanuel Episcopal Church of Fullerton. According to her lawsuit, Greenspan and other employees were misclassified as salaried workers to deny them overtime pay.

The lawsuit states that Greenspan consistently worked over eight hours a day and 50 to 60 hours a week since her hiring. She alleges that she was often denied meal breaks and rest breaks, and when she did manage to take them, they were frequently interrupted.

When Greenspan raised her concerns about being misclassified, her supervisor, Pastor Bill Garrison, dismissed her complaints and insinuated that she didn’t understand the situation. The lawsuit further claims that Greenspan was unable to reach a human resources representative for assistance.

Despite seeking help from Garrison again, he allegedly feigned ignorance and redirected the conversation to an enrollment report, avoiding the issue. In retaliation for her complaints with her employer and the state Labor Commissioner, Greenspan was terminated by Garrison on September 7.

The lawsuit highlights that Greenspan has suffered financial losses, including lost earnings and employment benefits, as well as emotional distress as a result of her termination.