‘DUPED’

Bloomberg Campaign Sued by Ex Field Organizer in Class-Action Case for Breach of Contract

The campaign’s former field organizer alleges that thousands of workers were laid off, despite having contracts that promised pay and full benefits until fall.

Mike Bloomberg’s presidential campaign was sued Monday by its former field organizer, alleging that thousands of workers were duped into jobs and not paid overtime only to be laid off when the former New York mayor exited the race. The class-action lawsuit, which was filed in federal court in New York City on Monday, argues that the campaign deprived employees “of promised income and health-care benefits, leaving them and their families potentially uninsured in the face of a global pandemic.” Sally Abrahamson, a lawyer representing the former field organizer named Donna Wood, told The New York Times that “people are going from a pretty generous health-care benefit to projected 20 to 30 percent unemployment.” The lawsuit claims that Bloomberg lured workers into his campaign with generous pay, full benefits, and a contract that lasted until November even if he did not win the Democratic nomination. Wood contends that thousands of employees were laid off or referred to work for the Democratic National Committee, which offers different pay and benefits.