It was a split decision on the part of a former Paris-based reporter and editor who had sued Bloomberg LP on a variety of provisions claiming she was downgraded from her old job as a fourth-level editor after she returned from her pregnancy leave in 2012.
While she was still working at Bloomberg LP, Adria Cimino filed suit in December 2012 with the conseil de prud’hommes, the French Labor court, seeking payment of a 13th month, seniority pay and overtime pay.
In April 2013, she was fired and added “wrongful termination” to the suit.
In a December decision, she won the first three counts, but lost the wrongful-termination claim.
Bloomberg LP had argued on the seniority bonus that it was not a press agency and therefore should not be governed by national laws governing journalists pay, and instead argued the amount should be based on the minimum wage.
The court also ruled that since Cimino “badged in and out” of the office, Bloomberg could not claim that it was unaware that she was working overtime.
Cimino said, “This marks the fifth time a French court has ruled against Bloomberg and in favor of a former employee on the 13th month, seniority bonus and overtime pay.”
Cimino will appeal the wrongful-termination decision.
A spokesman for Bloomberg declined comment.