00:00Howard Stern and his wife, Beth Stern, are being sued by a former assistant who claims
00:04they created a hostile work environment. According to documents obtained by Page Six, former
00:08executive assistant Leslie Kuhn said she began working for Howard Stern and Beth Stern in
00:13May 2024 at their 20,000-square-foot mansion in Southampton, New York. Kuhn claims she
00:19was hired to help manage the household staff and oversee day-to-day operations, including
00:24Beth Stern's extensive at-home feline rescue and fostering efforts.
00:28In the lawsuit, Kuhn alleges that despite receiving a letter in December 2025 stating she would
00:33get a raise to a $265,000 salary and an $80,000 bonus in 2026, she was fired just two
00:41months
00:41later in February. She claims her termination was the result of what she describes as a
00:45hostile work environment, along with immense pressures on the household tied to what she
00:50calls irresponsible and untenable animal rescue operations and disorganized business practices.
00:58Demonstrations for her firing, along with a non-disclosure agreement, were manufactured
01:01by the defendants, particularly Beth Stern. According to the complaint, Kuhn was presented
01:06with a sweeping NDA that she says she never signed. The agreement would have barred her
01:11from discussing nearly every aspect of the Stern's personal and professional lives, including
01:15their daily activities, food preferences, sleeping habits, hobbies, and even their choice of restaurants,
01:21hotels, and entertainment. It also allegedly restricted her from speaking about the couple's
01:25travel arrangements, the contents and locations of their properties, and their use of consumer
01:30products. The filing claims the NDA extended to any other matters related to the company
01:35and to the Stern's personal and business affairs.
01:37Kuhn is now asking the court to declare the agreement unenforceable, arguing that it unfairly
01:42silences her, while still allowing Howard and Beth to speak freely about her. In the lawsuit,
01:47Kuhn states that such an arrangement would put her, as an at-will employee with fewer resources,
01:51at a distinct disadvantage personally, professionally, and publicly. The complaint also reiterates
01:57her role managing the Southampton estate, including overseeing staff and coordinating Beth Stern's
02:02animal rescue operations within the home. Beth Stern, a longtime animal activist, has previously
02:07spoken about fostering large numbers of cats in her home and working to rescue and re-home animals.
02:13Kuhn's lawsuit claims those operations contributed to the pressure and conditions she describes
02:17as part of the alleged hostile work environment. The allegations have not been proven in court,
02:22and the case is ongoing.
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