Ex-TMZ employee sues Harvey Levin and Warner Bros., alleging she was fired after filing a complaint alleging a sexist and toxic work environment

BuzzFeed News

Bernadette Zilio, a former production assistant and on-air contributor to TMZ's TV shows, has filed a lawsuit that names TMZ parent company Warner Bros. and TMZ founder Harvey Levin. In the complaint filed Tuesday with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing, Zilio said she went to Warner Bros. HR representatives in April 2019 about issues of “sexism, belittlement, preferential treatment and lies running rampant on (her) team.” She alleged that TMZ treated men and women differently, resulting in “a boys’ club,” “100% a bro fest,” and a “freaking frat house.” Two weeks later, HR told her they couldn't substantiate her allegations. That's when she alleges she was subjected to retaliation for reporting her concerns. Zilio was eventually fired in February. “By the time I reached out to HR for the second time in January 2020, I specifically said, ‘I am petrified to be speaking to you right now because my life was made hell after the last time I went to an HR representative,’” Zilio said. In a statement, a spokesperson for TMZ and TooFab said the company "parted ways" with Zilio after "incidents of plagiarism and inaccurate reporting."