SoulCycle Sued for Firing Employee 4 Weeks Into Maternity Leave

SoulCycle, the boutique cycling studio beloved by models and masochists, is being sued for discrimination by the company’s former Senior Director of Instructor Programming and Talent.

According to the filed complaint Jordan Kafenbaum, who was in charge of overseeing almost 400 SoulCycle instructors, was fired from her position after only 32 days from giving birth and only four weeks into her maternity leave. She also alleges in the complaint that news of her pregnancy was made public at a meeting by the company CPO who, when confronted by Kafenbaum for the inappropriate announcement, claimed she was just making a joke and then retaliated against her by excluding Kafenbaum from decisions.

The lawsuit comes during a turbulent time in the company, which is referenced in the complaint. In July, the company bungled a response to Black Lives Matter, which led to the resignation of several employees and complaints from customers. And according to the complaint, SoulCycle is rife with sexual harassment and discrimination, citing an instance in which interim CEO Sunder Reddy simulated a blowjob in front of Kafenbaum, and the allegation that former CEO Melanie Whelan once commented that “paternity leave is for pussies.”