In a compelling legal battle that highlights issues of age discrimination and workplace rights, Kristin Lopez has filed a lawsuit against Victory Sports Center, Inc. in the Superior Court of California, County of Ventura on March 17, 2025. The complaint alleges that Victory Sports Center engaged in discriminatory practices by reducing her work hours and ultimately terminating her employment due to her age.
Kristin Lopez, represented by attorney Ben Rothman from the Law Office of Ben Rothman in Los Angeles, accuses Victory Sports Center of multiple violations including age discrimination, failure to prevent discrimination, wrongful termination in violation of public policy, and several wage and hour violations. According to the court documents, Lopez was hired as a front desk associate at Victory Gymnastics Academy—a facility owned by Victory Sports Center—around June 2024 when she was 43 years old. She claims that despite her experience and dedication, her hours were drastically cut from 12-16 per week to just two per week in November 2024. Subsequently, two younger women were hired for similar roles before Lopez was terminated on January 22, 2025.
The lawsuit outlines how managers Natalie Baez and Danielle Hollenbeck played pivotal roles in these adverse actions against Lopez. The complaint states that these managers acted with malice and oppression by firing Lopez due to her age, which is considered a violation under California's Fair Employment & Housing Act (FEHA). The document also reveals that Lopez had exhausted all administrative remedies under FEHA by filing a timely complaint with the Civil Rights Department (CRD) and obtaining an immediate right-to-sue notice.
Lopez’s allegations extend beyond age discrimination; she accuses Victory Sports Center of failing to provide legally mandated meal and rest periods during her employment. She claims that she was not relieved from duty for appropriate breaks as required by law, resulting in further injury due to inaccurate wage statements which failed to reflect earned premiums for missed breaks. Furthermore, upon termination, she asserts that she did not receive all final wages owed promptly.
Seeking justice through the court system, Kristin Lopez demands various forms of relief including actual damages for lost earnings and emotional distress caused by the alleged unlawful acts. She also seeks punitive damages aimed at penalizing Victory Sports Center for their purportedly egregious conduct. Additionally, she requests restitution for unpaid meal and rest period premiums along with penalties for failure to provide accurate wage statements.
The case is being presided over under Case No.: 2025 CUVYT 040445 with Judge Joan Foster overseeing proceedings. Attorney Ben Rothman stands as counsel for Kristin Lopez while details regarding defense representation remain unspecified within the document.