Disney Class Action: Employees Sue Over Scrapped Florida Relocation

Two California-based Disney employees are suing the company, alleging they were misled into relocating to Florida for a project that never materialized. Maria De La Cruz, a vice president of product design, and George Fong, a creative director of product design, claim Disney pressured them to move by threatening their jobs. They are now suing on behalf of themselves and potentially hundreds of other employees who were similarly impacted.

Employees Seek Damages for "Bait-and-Switch" Move to Florida

The proposed class action lawsuit filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court by current Disney employees Maria De La Cruz and George Fong alleged they were fraudulently induced to relocate to Florida as part of Disney's ambitious plan to construct a $1 billion office complex near Orlando. 

Known as the Lake Nona project, it aimed to relocate approximately 2,000 employees. In August 2021, De La Cruz and Fong were told they had just 90 days to decide whether to move to Florida or risk losing their jobs. 

The plaintiffs contend that they were led to believe that refusing the relocation would have dire consequences for their employment. Feeling pressured and fearing unemployment, they ultimately agreed to the move in November 2021, despite the significant upheaval it entailed.

The lawsuit alleges that Disney's assurances of having 90 days to carefully "consider and make the decision that's best for them" were misleading.

In reality, the relocation process proved far more disruptive than anticipated. Both De La Cruz and Fong sold their California homes, a decision made with the understanding that their jobs depended on it. De La Cruz sold her Altadena residence in May 2022, while Fong faced the emotionally difficult task of parting with his family home, a place that held deep personal significance as his childhood home and an inherited property.

“Mr. Fong also sold his home, which was a particularly painful decision because it was the family home he had grown up in and inherited,” the lawsuit states. Fong is a creative director of product design; his family home was in Los Angeles.

Relocated Employees Left Stranded by Project Cancellation

In 2023, Disney's plans changed dramatically due to a public conflict with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. This escalating feud led to the cancellation of the Lake Nona project in May 2023.

The conflict stemmed from then-CEO Bob Chapek's criticism of Florida's Parental Rights in Education Act. In response, Governor DeSantis took steps to dissolve a Disney-controlled special district that oversaw the company's theme park land. This move sparked a legal battle between Disney and the state of Florida, further exacerbating the tensions. The feud eventually concluded in March of the following year, with both parties settling their lawsuits and expressing a desire to move forward collaboratively.

But the cancellation of the Lake Nona Project left De La Cruz, Fong, and other relocated employees in a precarious situation. They had uprooted their lives in California, sold their homes at a specific market value, and were now facing a significantly different housing market in Florida – one with higher prices and interest rates.

“Apart from Mr. Fong, other similarly situated individuals have been forced to purchase or rent less desirable housing upon their return to California,” the complaint said.

Disney Employees Demand Justice for Misleading Relocation

The lawsuit alleges Disney engaged in a pattern of misrepresentation. It claims Disney pressured employees to move with false promises of job security and a better life in Florida. De La Cruz, after moving to a temporary office in Kissimmee, reportedly expressed concerns about job security and the lack of a suitable creative workspace.

Emails included in the lawsuit show her pleading with HR, stating, "I don't want to be punished for being put into a situation my company put me in," the lawsuit states.

Fong eventually returned to a much smaller home in California, while De La Cruz is still in the process of moving back. 

The complaint also mentions that upon cancellation, a senior Disney leader apologized to affected employees, acknowledging the situation as "a mistake on Disney's part."

In the proposed Disney employee relocation class action lawsuit, the plaintiffs seek to represent “all current and former California Disney employees who relocated from California to Florida as a result of Disney’s announcement of the Lake Nona Project.” They are seeking unspecified compensatory and punitive damages to compensate the impacted employees for the financial hardships they endured due to Disney's broken promises.

Note: The case name and number were not available at the time of this article's publication. The plaintiffs are represented by Jason S. Lohr of Lohr Ripamonti & Segarich.