Andrea Fair started working at MTV as a Senior Talent Director in 2005. In 2008, she was promoted to Vice President of Talent and Music (TAM). In 2009, Fair also joined MTV’s Visionary Committee, a group tasked with determining the network’s future.
In a recently filed employment discrimination lawsuit, Fair alleges that her boss, Senior Vice President in TAM Bruce Gillmer, stalled her career by excluding her from important meetings and events in favor of younger MTV employees. Despite having 20 years of experience in the music industry, working with top-name talent, Fair claims that she was bullied and harassed by executives at MTV; specifically Fair alleges that her responsibilities were diminished and her role as VP of TAM was minimized at Gillmer’s direction.
Gillmer claimed that budget issues were the reason that Fair was not sent on multiple work-related engagements, but male and younger employees were sent instead to the European Music Awards, to a video shoot with Rhianna and other awards shows.
Fair believes that Gillmer was targeting her because she is female and because of her age, both illegal bases for employment discrimination.
In 2010, MTV fired Fair, citing a pattern of inappropriate workplace conduct. Her coordinator, Allison Farber had filed a complaint with the music company, claiming to be scared of Fair and that Fair was contacting her outside of business hours on non-work-related topics. Farber had been hired, over Fair’s objections, in 2009.
Fair noted in her age and gender discrimination lawsuit that Farber was over-sensitive to constructive work-related criticism.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter, “Former MTV VP Talent Sues Claiming Sex Discrimination,” August 23, 2012
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