Sexual Harassment Against PE Exec Still Active
Had I not been researching Exigen Capital for a post on their new joint venture in South Africa to create back office software for the insurance industry, I might not have noticed this complaint. But it's a nasty one -- Exigen managing partner Greg Shenkman and his firm were sued in March by a former executive assistant, Iryna Kharchenko, who claims sexual harassment, sexual battery, wrongful termination, failure to pay overtime and several other problems stemming from her employment with Exigen, which lasted for five years, from 2004 until she was fired last December. Kharchenko claims the company did nothing when she complained about her treatment, but she didn't want to lose her job. Her termination came shortly after she filed a complaint asking for a right-to-sue with the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing. Exigen has not responded to her charges but won a motion to compel arbitration, which is scheduled for January. However, Kharchenko's attorney, Scott Bonagofsky, last week appealed that order and expects a decision within 30 days -- he says his client, who is now unemployed, was forced to agree to arbitrate disputes in order to get hired and wants a jury trial.
