Rodney Henry, the long time assistant to Saints owner Tom Benson, has brought suit against the team for back wages and for violating his employment agreement. Henry was fired by a Saints executive, after working 25 years for Benson, which he claims violates an agreement which required him to be let go by Benson personally or be given two years of pay as severance. In addition, he claims that he qualified as an hourly employee, despite him being salaried and having a management job title, since his job duties were primarily to run errands for Benson and his wife and often worked days in excess of ten hours. However, there is a hitch in the suit as the Saints have responded by filing a motion stating that Henry signed a binding arbitration agreement for all employment issues with the NFL commissioner having final authority in any dispute. This is just the latest lawsuit involving Benson as he battles with his estranged daughter over control of several trust that contain the bulk of his wealth and the shares of his pro sports team empire.
See Katherine Sayre, Tom Benson’s personal assistant must take complaint to NFL commissioner, New Orleans Times-Picayune, January 15, 2016.
