A former senior venture supervisor with Naftali Group sued the developer and two of its executives over allegations of being pregnant discrimination.
Claire Gondon, assigned to the agency’s Williamsburg Wharf project, filed a lawsuit within the Jap District of New York in September towards the corporate, government vice chairman of building Michael Witek and government vice chairman of operations Eva Malachi.
Malachi and Witek have been a part of a small group of staff Miki Naftali brought with him from Elad Group to discovered his eponymous growth agency in 2012.
Within the grievance, Gondon alleges that in January, Malachi knowledgeable her that the agency deliberate to “wind down” her place — simply 4 days after she advised her, Witek and one other government that she was pregnant. Three months later, Gondon claims she was fired.
“Ms. Gondon was a high-performing worker who deserved to be acknowledged for her dedication and accomplishments, not sidelined after disclosing her being pregnant and plans to take maternity depart,” Gondon’s lawyer, Valdi Licul, wrote in an announcement. “We stay up for pursuing accountability from Naftali Group and the executives concerned.”
A spokesperson for Naftali pushed again towards Gondon’s allegations in an announcement, arguing the choice to terminate her “was made for reputable, nondiscriminatory causes and with ample discover lengthy earlier than the corporate was conscious of her being pregnant.”
“The corporate is dedicated to truthful, lawful employment practices and stands by its choice relating to the previous worker’s termination,” in response to the assertion. “As that is an energetic authorized matter, we are going to vigorously defend ourselves and never remark additional presently.”
Gondon joined Naftali in 2022, after three years engaged on JDS Development’s Brooklyn Tower. She described her position at Naftali as overseeing the funds behind the corporate’s sprawling five-tower venture alongside the Williamsburg waterfront, anticipated to wrap up in 2029.
Within the grievance, Gondon claims that in 2025, Witek “showered [her] with reward for her work” and indicated that the agency had plans to advertise her to guide one other venture. 5 months earlier, Naftali acquired 800 Fifth Avenue with plans to demolish the prevailing construction and substitute it with luxurious condos.
In January, Gondon says she advised Witek and Malachi that she was pregnant and deliberate to take maternity depart beginning round July. 4 days later, Gondon alleges Malachi emailed her, writing that her duties have been “anticipated to wind down in Q1” and that the agency was “unable to ensure work past that interval.”
After that, Gondon alleges she was “systematically excluded” from communications about Williamsburg Wharf till she was formally terminated in April. On the time, she alleges Witek advised her that the corporate didn’t have any work to assign to her.
A month later, the agency employed a person to take over her position, in response to her grievance.
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