Kanye West is facing a lawsuit from a former Jewish employee of his fashion brand Yeezy, who accuses him of subjecting her to extreme antisemitic harassment. The lawsuit, filed in February 2025 in Los Angeles, claims that Kanye repeatedly made Nazi-related remarks, including sending texts that read “Hail Hitler,” referring to himself as a “NAZI,” and welcoming her to the “first day of working for Hitler.” The plaintiff, a marketing specialist at Yeezy, alleges that Kanye’s verbal abuse intensified after she raised concerns about the antisemitism in his 2024 album Vultures Vol. 1 and its controversial cover art. This lawsuit was filed just days after Kanye posted numerous antisemitic comments on social media and then sold a shirt with a swastika on it via his online store.
She further claims that after complaining about this behavior, she was fired. Among the alleged offensive comments were insults such as “You ugly as f***” and “Heartless sociopath.” Kanye’s previous history of antisemitic remarks, including a notorious “deathcon 3” tweet against Jewish people in 2022, also looms over the case. The employee claims that Kanye messaged her, “You what’s left after I said deathcon.” The employee says she was retaliated against for speaking up.
This case brings into focus key legal standards for workplace discrimination and hostile work environments. The Civil Rights Act of 1964, under Title VII, prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. A hostile work environment claim arises when unwelcome conduct of a discriminatory nature becomes so severe or pervasive that it creates an abusive work atmosphere.
For the plaintiff to succeed, she must demonstrate that the harassment was based on her Jewish identity, was pervasive and severe, and was sufficiently damaging to alter the conditions of her employment. Her termination after reporting the harassment may also support a claim for retaliation.
The case also touches on the concept of “constructive discharge,” where an employee is forced to resign or is effectively terminated due to intolerable working conditions. If proven, Kanye could be liable not only for harassment but also for retaliatory termination, which is illegal under federal law.
