IT worker sues NHL, accuses HR chief of retaliation and blacklisting

The allegations paint a troubling picture for HR professionals. Harris says that when a colleague named her as a witness in a separate harassment proceeding, she was interviewed repeatedly by Ducks and OCSE human resources. She was told her experiences were “not okay” and would be dealt with. Yet when the investigation wrapped, Harris says she was informed only that it was “more likely than not” policies had been violated, with remedies limited to coaching and training. One alleged harasser, former intern Nick Aguilera, was promoted to full-time staff rather than disciplined, she claims. HR VP Marni Bobich allegedly advised Harris that if she wanted a future in hockey operations, she should consider looking elsewhere.

Harris resigned in November 2024 and took an IT role at the NHL’s New York headquarters. Within days, she says, she was assigned a routine ticket to check display-name settings in the Outlook account of Distler, the league’s chief HR officer. Harris says she accessed the mailbox under temporary delegate permissions, found no issue, and moved on. Days later, she alleges, Distler accused her of hacking her email, placed her on leave, and terminated her. Harris says she never opened or read any emails.

What followed, according to Harris, was an industry-wide freeze-out. She claims the NHL, Ducks, and OCSE coordinated to block her from jobs at Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment and to prevent her rehire by the Ducks, despite a former manager’s interest in bringing her back.

The lawsuit brings 20 separate claims, including harassment, retaliation, whistleblower violations, defamation, equal pay claims, and antitrust-style blacklisting allegations under federal and state law. For HR leaders, the case is a reminder that how an organization handles complaints, closes investigations, and treats departing employees can all end up under a legal microscope.