Woody Allen and his wife, Soon-Yi Previn, have found themselves embroiled in legal trouble following the abrupt firing of their former personal chef, Hermie Fajardo, who also serves as a United States Army Reservist. Fajardo, who was hired at an annual salary of $85,000, alleges he was terminated unjustly right after he returned from mandatory military training. The lawsuit filed against the couple claims they violated the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act as well as New York state labor laws.
According to the civil complaint lodged in federal court, Fajardo contends he was hired to bring his extensive culinary skills to the Allen household. His hiring occurred after he cooked for the couple, impressing them with his dishes, which included roasted chicken and pasta. “They were showering me with compliments,” said Fajardo, who has nearly a decade of experience cooking upscale meals. He described the termination as both humiliative and retaliatory, attributing it to his recent need for military leave and his insistence on fair pay.
After signing on with the Allens, Fajardo had made it clear to the couple’s home manager, Pamela Steigmeyer, about his dual commitments as both chef and reservist. His service schedule was shared and acknowledged, with reassurances from Steigmeyer about job security during his military duties. Yet the relationship soured dramatically upon his return to work. Fajardo says he sensed immediate hostility and resentment from both Allen and Previn, indicative of their discontent at his enforced absence.
His suspicions were compounded by the financial discrepancies he started encountering shortly after beginning work. Fajardo noticed inconsistencies when it came to his income; initially, he received his payment via bank transfer instead of through the standard ADP payroll system, which meant no taxes were withheld, and he was not being issued pay stubs—a practice he said was intentional. When he addressed these issues, he felt not only ignored but threatened, with Steigmeyer warning him, “If you keep asking about this, I hope it will not affect your job in the future.”
Subsequently, when his military training required him to extend his time away from work by just one day, flooding back to the job hit him with immediate repercussions. Upon returning, Fajardo claims to have been met with bitter hostility, culminating shortly after he made inquiries about his paycheck. Despite having been promised full pay during his military training, he discovered he had been underpaid by $300 during the duration of his absence. This discovery led him to confront Steigmeyer once more, resulting in her abrupt report of his termination just hours after Fajardo cooked for the couple once again.
Despite the claim from Allen and Previn articulately rejecting Fajardo's cooking skills as the cause for his firing, Fajardo says such statements were only made post-termination. “I was never told anything about my cooking being inadequate until after I sought legal advice,” he asserted. The complaint laid out allegations of stress, humiliation, and loss of income due to what he argues were wrongful and retaliatory actions by his former employers.
Allen and Previn, known public figures, have not yet publicly responded to the allegations made against them. Fajardo's attorneys, Joseph & Norinsberg LLC, expressed their firm commitment to fighting on behalf of workers, especially those balancing dual roles like military service. “It’s time for accountability,” attorney Jon Norinsberg stated, emphasizing the significance of the case for protecting other employees who risk being unfairly treated or terminated for their military obligations.
The lawsuit highlights the potential gaps workers face when juggling civilian jobs alongside military responsibilities, as well as the imperative for employers to uphold fair labor practices toward reservists. The case is now set to be heard, presenting yet another layer of public scrutiny for Allen and Previn.
