After a journalist in 2022, it is an editor-in-chief who had his dismissal deemed « without valid and serious cause » by the court.
Un ancien rédacteur en chef de l’émission sportive Stade 2, Jean-François Laville, limogé en 2020 par France Télévisions après des accusations de harcèlement et de propos sexistes, a vu son licenciement jugé « sans cause réelle et sérieuse », selon une décision qu’a pu consulter l’AFP mercredi 14 septembre.
In this regard, France Télévisions group is ordered to pay him 150,000 euros, according to the judgment rendered on August 25 by the labor court of Paris. When contacted by AFP, the management of France Télévisions declined to comment. This represents a second setback for them in the case against the three former Stade 2 journalists who were dismissed after an internal investigation revealed acts of harassment and sexist remarks.
In March 2022, the dismissal of journalist Pierre-Etienne Léonard was also deemed unjustified. The case was triggered by an interview with former colleague Clémentine Sarlat in the newspaper L’Équipe.
Un quatrième salarié avait reçu un blâme. « Il aurait fallu que l’intégralité des membres de ce service soit invitée à être auditionnée » par le cabinet chargé de l’enquête interne, relève le conseil de prud’hommes de Paris dans son jugement.
Furthermore, it took the intervention of the judge on April 1, 2021, nine months after Jean-François Laville’s dismissal, for France Télévisions to disclose the investigation conducted and for the journalist to effectively present his defense. The decision points out that the group did not spontaneously meet the requirements of the principle of adversarial proceedings. It is also reproached for basing the journalist’s dismissal on anonymous testimonies, whereas the journalist was able to provide about ten identified testimonies attesting that they had never witnessed any sexist, discriminatory, or harassing behavior from him.
Jean-François Laville, however, intends to appeal this judgment « to restore his honor » and « attempt to obtain the nullity of his dismissal ». The third journalist who was dismissed, Alain Vernon, a prominent figure of Stade 2 magazine, stated to AFP that he was also dismissed by the labor court on August 30th and expressed his disappointment with the decision, which he plans to appeal.
