Dismissed Philadelphia Art Museum Director Fires Back With a Lawsuit

"Suda says that her "for cause" termination was issued "without valid basis," alleging that she was dismissed while negotiating the terms of her departure because she refused to sign an agreement with PhAM that would not only "would allow the Museum's officers and agents to disparage [her], while [she] would be prohibited from discussing her departure publicly or defend[ing] her reputation," but also only afford her six months of severance pay versus the two years promised in her five-year contract."

"However, as outlined in the suit, the most pressing aspect of her termination is that the museum had reportedly proposed to provide Suda, a Canadian citizen, with her six-month severance package in January, thus leaving her with no official source of income to qualify for a Green Card in light of her preceding scheduled interview. The complaint notes that Suda would have "60 days to exit the country where she resides with her family and where her children attend elementary school.""

Alexandra "Sasha" Suda was terminated "for cause" from her role as director and CEO of the Philadelphia Art Museum via email and filed a lawsuit on November 10 alleging unlawful termination and violations of her employment agreement. The complaint alleges a small, corrupt faction of the board orchestrated a sham investigation and demanded her resignation. Suda alleges dismissal occurred while negotiating departure because she refused a settlement that would allow officers to disparage her, gag her, and cut her severance from two years to six months. She seeks a jury trial to recover two years of severance, damages, and other relief. The complaint warns the reduced severance would jeopardize her Green Card eligibility and could force her family to leave within 60 days. The museum states the complaint is without merit.

Read at Hyperallergic