Howard Stern’s former assistant sues, claiming famed radio persona created hostile office | EUROtoday

Howard Stern’s former assistant is suing the famed radio persona and his spouse for allegedly subjecting her to a hostile work setting whereas employed at their 20,000-square-foot Hamptons property, in line with courtroom filings reviewed by The Independent.

In a state lawsuit filed Sunday, Leslie Kuhn, who started working for Stern in 2022 as his workplace supervisor at SiriusXM, says she was made the shock jock’s government assistant the next yr, and relocated to Southampton, New York, in 2024 – on the pair’s request – to supply “assistance with such things as managing the staff of the mansion, setting staffing schedules, completing staff payroll and managing general household operations, including Beth Stern’s extensive at-home feline rescue and fostering operations.”

Beth Stern is a longtime animal activist who rescues and fosters deserted canine and catsand is the nationwide spokesperson and board member for North Shore Animal League America.

Kuhn’s criticism says she was given a increase in December 2025 from $100,000 to $265,000, plus an $80,000 bonus, however that she was fired in February 2026 for “alleged misconduct.” But whereas the criticism doesn’t present particulars of the purported wrongdoing, it says Kuhn “denies in whole and in part the reasoning given to her,” calling it “manufactured by the Defendants in general and Beth Stern in particular.”

“Rather, Kuhn contends that her termination was the result of, among other things, a hostile work environment and enablement of that hostile work environment, immense pressures on the household created by irresponsible and untenable animal rescue and fostering operations occurring on-site, and massively disorganized and questionable business operations and accounting practices,” the criticism states.

However, Kuhn claims the allegations in opposition to her are so detrimental to her repute that they might have “a chilling effect on [her] future employment prospects.”

At the identical time, Kuhn additionally accuses Stern’s manufacturing firm of forging her signature on two non-disclosure agreements she denies ever okaying, and is asking a choose to declare them null and void as a result of it forbids her from telling anybody, together with potential employers, her model of occasions whereas permitting Howard and Beth to “speak freely about Kuhn with impunity.”

“As such, Kuhn fully intends to disclose details concerning the facts surrounding her employment by Stern, Beth Stern, Sirius, and [Stern’s production company],” the criticism states, “and termination of that employment as necessary to address the accusations made against her and to protect her reputation and future employment prospects.”

Attorney John Leonard, who’s representing Kuhn, instructed The Independent that he’s merely asking the courtroom to weigh in on the validity and enforceability of the 2 NDAs Kuhn says she by no means signed.

“It’s very easy to see that they are one-sided; they’re not reciprocal, so it gives one party the right to say anything they want and the other party is muzzled,” Leonard stated.

Above and past forbidding Kuhn from discussing the ins and outs of her employment with Stern, the allegedly bogus NDA prohibits her from speaking about something concerning the couple’s “family members or friends, daily activities and personal habits (e.g., food preferences, sleeping habits, hobbies), use of consumer products, choice of restaurants, hotels or other establishments, entertainment preference, the location or contents of residences and other properties, travel arrangements, location(s) or methods, political affiliations,” and “any other matters” associated to Stern’s enterprise.

Such a contractual relationship would put Kuhn, who the criticism describes as “a mere at-will employee with considerably less influence and resources than the Sterns, their affiliated entities and associates,” at an unfair drawback “personally, professionally and publicly.”

NDAs are getting used to silence folks like Kuhn, who’re “at distinct disadvantages in influence and resources,” in line with Leonard, who identified that his shopper by no means needed issues to get so far.

“The decision to seek declaratory relief from the court was a decision that was not made lightly,” Leonard instructed The Independent. “My client, however, is a very strong woman and she just wants the court to tell her what her rights are so she can move ahead lawfully. Not knowing whether you’re able to defend yourself against other people’s allegations is a very harrowing situation to be in. But I have to say, she’s handling it very well, she’s very strong, and she looks forward to her day in court.”

The Independent has reached out to reps for Stern for remark.

Kuhn is now in search of a declaration voiding the NDAs, plus attorneys’ charges and courtroom prices.