As a film enthusiast and someone who closely follows the entertainment industry, I can’t help but be disheartened by the latest developments at Walt Disney Company. The news of Disney employees suing the company over the canceled relocation to Florida is truly disappointing.
As a dedicated film enthusiast, I’ve been keeping an eye on the Walt Disney Company’s recent developments. The aftermath of their abandoned plan to relocate around 2,000 California employees to a new campus in Florida still lingers, causing quite a stir. This contentious decision, which was made public some time ago and subsequently reversed last year, saw the return of CEO Bob Iger to the helm.
In the year 2021, Bob Chapek, who was then CEO, and Josh D’Amaro, the parks and experiences chairman at Disney, disclosed their intention to transfer employees responsible for supporting Disney’s theme parks and resorts, including esteemed Imagineers, to a planned $1-billion office complex in Orlando, Florida. This decision aimed to help Disney benefit from Florida’s tax incentives. However, the prospect of relocating from California to Florida was met with significant resistance from employees who were required to leave their homes and communities in Southern California.
Now some Disney employees are suing the company over the canceled relocation.
I’ve learned from a recent lawsuit filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court that many employees, including myself, answered Disney’s plea and made the significant decision to sell our homes in the Los Angeles area and relocate to Central Florida.
In late 2021, Maria De La Cruz and George Fong found themselves in a predicament. Both were Disney employees, and they received an offer from the company that seemed hard to refuse. Disney hinted that their jobs would be at risk if they declined the opportunity to relocate to Florida. Feeling pressured and believing they had no other choice, De La Cruz and Fong agreed to the move. However, the company assured them they had 90 days to make their decision carefully.
De La Cruz, a vice president of product design, sold her Altadena home in May 2022.
In the lawsuit, it’s mentioned that Mr. Fong made the difficult choice to sell his cherished family home in Los Angeles, where he grew up and later inherited, alongside other assets. (Creative director of product design, Mr. Fong)
But a year after they had sold their houses and moved, Disney canceled the project.
A Disney spokesman did not immediately provide comment.
If you’re a past or present Disney employee based in California who moved to Florida following Disney’s announcement of the Lake Nona Project, you might be eligible to join a class-action lawsuit. The goal is to claim unspecified punitive damages.
I was thrilled when Disney first announced their plans to invest a billion dollars into the Lake Nona development in Florida. At the time, I believed that Disney foresaw potential financial savings due to lower labor costs in the sunshine state. Additionally, the allure of tax incentives offered by the Florida government for relocating businesses was an added draw.
The project was drawn into Disney’s ongoing legal and cultural disputes with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (a former presidential candidate).
After filing a federal lawsuit against Florida and its governor one month prior, Disney decided to abandon its Lake Nona development project. This decision came as the company implemented substantial cost-reductions throughout its operations. (The legal issues have since been settled, and Disney has expressed its intent to proceed with an extensive expansion of its Florida parks).
In simpler terms, Disney announced in May 2023 that due to recent leadership changes and unfavorable business circumstances, they have chosen not to proceed with building the campus.
At that point, Disney admitted that certain employees had relocated. The corporation announced its intention to consult with each affected employee regarding potential arrangements for their return to California.
The lawsuit claims that the company’s proposed compensation for affected employees was insufficient.
In the lawsuit, it was mentioned that many Disney employees declined to relocate. A few of them continued working for the company.
Following a change of heart from Disney, house prices in Orlando reportedly decreased as stated in the lawsuit led by attorney Jason S. Lohr from the law firm Lohr Ripamonti & Segarich based in San Francisco.
Starting from 2022, home prices in Los Angeles have been on the rise. However, the situation became more complex with rising interest rates, according to the lawsuit.
As a movie lover, I’ve recently made a decision to downsize my living space. After selling my spacious Los Angeles house, I purchased a cozier home in South Pasadena. The new place may have fewer square feet than what I was used to, but I’m looking forward to embracing the charm of a smaller abode. My friend De La Cruz is currently in the midst of relocating back to California as well.
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2024-07-18 22:08