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One woman said she received an image of Kenny Purcell’s crotch in a text message. Others recalled the president of the National Association of Realtors asking for help tucking in his shirt in a way that he felt was “sexually suggestive.”
And a third former NAR official, Janelle Brevard, said the harassment lawsuit against the organization, which it left in July, was “settled” only as a result of “being intimidated by such powerful opponents.” sued through an attorney.
In interviews with 29 current and former NAR employees and former leaders, including 19 who claimed to have endured sexual harassment in the workplace, The long-awaited tell-all book will be released on Saturday new york times He said a culture of harassment, retaliation and shunning pervades not only the group, which has 1.56 million members, but also the subsidiaries and boards of directors to which executives belong.
“I’m scared to come into the office every day,” said Amy Swida, director of business meetings and events at the organization that filed a whistleblower complaint against Purcell along with four other current employees. ..
This amazing report has played out under a steady pulse of anticipation over the past month as the Realtor Whisperer network exchanged information online and at real estate conferences. At Connect Las Vegas earlier this month, Brad Inman publicly addressed an upcoming article in the publication, suggesting that far-reaching repercussions may be within the 115-year-old facility. There was also
“There’s sexual harassment and a culture of fear woven into it,” said Stephanie Quinn, former director of business meetings and events. Times.
in a statement to Timesand in response to certain allegations, the National Association of Realtors repeatedly denied any wrongdoing while claiming it acted responsibly and responded appropriately to the complaints.
“We follow clear reporting procedures, investigate any reported concerns, and take corrective action as appropriate, ranging from dismissal of staff and suspension of members,” the statement concludes.
Before quitting last year after working at the NAR for more than a decade, Quinn said he watched Purcell try to set up meetings with younger colleagues at night and was always expected to hug the president. Ta. Once Ms. Purcell declined such a hug, she turned cold and immediately raised the issue about her job. The NAR said it had never received a complaint from Quinn.
Purcell said in a written response: Times He didn’t contact anyone “younger” or “late at night,” and denied sexual harassment accusations.
Suwidha, who is still an NAR employee, told the press about a “tense” office environment where she and other employees believed they were being monitored by executives. She and others all describe a “system of intimidation,” which was revealed to Suwida after she became “brutal” when Ms. Purcell visibly became pregnant with her. It is said that
Purcell then began carving out his responsibilities, including dragging her out of key leadership meetings, after she refused to negotiate directly with Bender, he told the Times.
“I was never cruel to Ms. Suwida,” Ms. Purcell replied. Times.
as a response to Times, and directly referring to Ms. Suwida’s allegations, said the NAR had a “strict non-retaliation policy” and that “her complaints were heard and documented.” The NAR added that Suwida was promoted after a few months.
But California-based real estate agent Suzy Dunkel-Soto sued the organization’s chief legal officer after a male colleague photographed her under her skirt at the 2018 NAR Leadership Academy graduation ceremony. He said his complaint was never returned. NAR said Times The company “involved a male real estate agent and handled the matter appropriately,” but declined to provide further details.
“Everything is covered up,” said Dunkel-Soto, 57. Times.
In other cases, NAR officials revealed moments when Purcell, who was appointed chairman of the organization in January, seemed to be pushing the boundaries. During a conference in Washington, D.C. in 2018, NAR’s current senior event producer, Jennifer Brown, was asked by Ms. Senior Event Producer Jennifer Brown reported inappropriate behavior to the organization’s human resources department. pants.
In another case, Mr. Purcell was accused of sending crotch pictures to two employees who were traveling to Utah, where Mr. Purcell resides, for work related to a promotion for his presidential term.in a statement to TimesThe NAR claims the image sent by Purcell was of a NAR-sponsored belt buckle that the organization was manufacturing as part of its promotional campaign.
In both cases, the NAR claimed the allegations were investigated and addressed.
For Roshani Sheth, who filed a discrimination complaint with the Illinois Department of Human Rights after being fired as a product manager at NAR subsidiary Realtors Information Network in 2019, speaking up resulted in retaliation.
After she stared at her breasts and filed her first complaint, she was the only woman or person of color among her colleagues, including a boss she said dismissed her ambitions as “unattractive.” This employee, based in California, received a text message calling her “rat” and hinting at her committing suicide.
The allegations are now being investigated by the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, reports said. Times.
And at Move, Inc., the parent company of NAR-licensed Realtor.com, a 2020 harassment lawsuit found a former senior vice president of industrial relations alleging that an employer had been sexually assaulted at a work event. He claimed to have fired a male colleague after he got fed up with the content of the conversation. He said he made the statement “being a boy” and described the International Women’s Day event as “meaningless”. Times.
The lawsuit will be settled in 2021, a Move spokesperson told the newspaper. Purcell is currently one of two NAR executives on Move’s nine-member advisory board, according to the report. Times.
But a complaint ultimately made by the organization’s former chief storyteller, Janelle Brevard, may have ultimately led to heavy scrutiny. Times investigation.
In June, Brevard, whose job description included overseeing podcasts and marketing responsibilities, was fired shortly after his contract ended after a month-long relationship with Purcell, but was barred from several meetings and business trips. filed a lawsuit alleging that . According to her complaint, throughout her ordeal, he made advances to her, threatened to fire her, and referred to another incident of harassment of another woman of hers.
Brevard, who is black, dropped the lawsuit just nine days after filing it, a lawyer representing the woman said. Times The decision to settle her case in July for $107,000 plus severance pay, including attorney fees, was not because her case was worthless, but because of the enormous power the organization wielded. Ta.
“Feeling intimidated by such a powerful adversary, she agreed to settle the case expeditiously,” said Bruce Fox, an attorney who began representing Brevard in August. the times, Mr. Brevard pointed out that he still has a confidentiality agreement.
Times The investigation comes amid a growing backlash against sexual harassment in the real estate industry.
In addition to the charges against NAR and Purcell, the February lawsuit also accused former eXp Realty agents of drugging and assaulting a female colleague at an industry event, while eXp World Holdings CEO Glen Sun Mr. Ford is accused of turning a blind eye to the conduct. In recent years, professionals at Keller-Williams and Lemine have also been accused of misbehavior.
in editorial Through the Lens of Saturday, published earlier this month times NAR CEO Bob Goldberg explained the work NAR has done to combat sexual harassment and abuse, including creating a code of conduct on harassment issues for members and mandating all employees and volunteers. ) said he was “extremely proud” of Leaders are required to undergo annual training on sexual harassment and discrimination.
“Training is important, but make sure staff and members know that any allegations of harassment will be investigated thoroughly and that clues will be tracked wherever they go,” Goldberg wrote.
“We will investigate all allegations received from or relating to our employees and members and, if the results of our investigation are required, will terminate or dismiss any employee, as determined by the NAR or the regional association. We will take decisive action, including the suspension of our members,” the context. If such allegations involve members of the NAR’s leadership team or executives, he will investigate with independent outside law firms to avoid biased results and perceptions. ”
In an email sent to NAR employees on Aug. 17, Goldberg shared with them the statement the NAR had sent. Times according to their reports.
“The NAR does not tolerate discrimination, harassment or retaliation. “We follow clear reporting procedures, investigate any reported concerns, and take corrective action where appropriate, up to and including termination of staff and members. We encourage people to report illegal or inappropriate behavior. The NAR has multiple policies and resources to deter inappropriate behavior, including anti-harassment and bystander intervention training, and escalation protocols to ensure people are respected. We will continue to tenaciously consider and adopt additional best practices.”
In an internal email, Mr. Goldberg said the industry group would make improvements based on input from employees.
“No employer is perfect. However, I am proud of our progress in recent years and am committed to continuous improvement as an employer and workplace in line with our core values of leading change. continue to pursue,” he wrote. “It will only be possible if we continue to ask and listen to you, and we are committed to that.”
Lee Brown, a North Carolina real estate agent who served as the group’s vice president of advocacy in 2021 and echoed other employees’ descriptions of the NAR’s fear culture, said the damage done by a select few executives was , said it could damage the reputation of a well-known group. It dates back to his 1908, when Henry Ford introduced the Model T to the world.
“I hate to see my organization suffer because of the actions of a few,” Brown said.
Please email Andrea V. Brambilla.
