Warner Bros. Discovery has taken Amazon to court over allegations of poaching employees with term employment agreements. The lawsuit, filed this week, accuses Amazon of interfering with contractual relations, breaching contracts, and engaging in unfair competition.
According to the lawsuit, Amazon has been attempting to 'pirate away' a number of contracted employees, including Pia Barlow, an HBO Max marketing executive who recently joined Amazon MGM Studios. Warner Bros. claims that Barlow's employment contract was not set to expire until October 31, 2027.
The company also accused Amazon of seeking to induce another WBD employee to breach their term employment agreement, which was not set to expire until December 2027. However, that executive, believed to be HBO programming executive Francesca Orsi, ultimately stayed at Warner Bros.
The lawsuit is likely to spark debates about the enforceability of term employment agreements in California law. Deadline noted that this lawsuit may be a test case for the courts to determine whether these agreements are enforceable.
Amazon MGM Studios declined to comment on the lawsuit.
The dispute may have implications for the tech industry, where term employment agreements are common. It remains to be seen how the courts will rule on this matter and whether it will set a precedent for other cases.