Daniel McKenna, the Peloton instructor known as the Irish Yank, has sued the company for allegedly discriminating against him after he was injured and subjecting him to Irish stereotypes.
McKenna was fired from the company in September, and in a lawsuit filed on Tuesday, he accused Peloton and chief content officer Jennifer Cotter of breach of employment, disability discrimination, and creating a hostile work environment. Neither McKenna's attorney nor Peloton responded to a request for comment from BuzzFeed News.
According to the complaint, McKenna underwent an unexpected surgery in October 2021, and he didn't want to get the COVID-19 vaccine for fear it could impede his recovery. (COVID vaccines are safe and effective, and serious side effects are extremely rare.) Cotter made disparaging remarks toward McKenna about wanting a medical exemption, the lawsuit said, and McKenna eventually got the vaccine out of fear of losing his job.
Cotter also allegedly used Irish stereotypes toward McKenna, including asking him if he was drunk on the job and pointing out his accent, telling him, "Nobody understands what you are saying, Daniel," the lawsuit said.
In spring 2022, McKenna experienced sharp and debilitating pain in his pectorals. He underwent immediate surgery, and his doctors told him recovery would take six months. By May, McKenna was feeling better and told Cotter and his bosses that he could return to work on July 1.
Before he returned to work, Cotter met with McKenna and told him that he should be fired for taking short-term disability and that he was on "thin ice," according to the lawsuit.
On Sept. 12, Peloton fired McKenna "for cause," but according to the lawsuit, McKenna had not received any written notices regarding his behavior or misconduct that violated any Peloton employment agreements. During the meeting in which he was fired, McKenna was not provided with any reasoning for his termination, the lawsuit said.
He's now seeking damages for the harm to his career, as well as mental and emotional distress.
In July, a family sued Peloton after their 3-year-old son got trapped under a Peloton and suffered third-degree burns, and in January, several employees sued the company, claiming they weren't paid for their work.