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ARTICLE · 20 AUGUST 2020

A Flirt Too Far?

Charles Russell Speechlys LLP
Charles Russell Speechlys LLP
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Charles Russell Speechlys LLP

Charles Russell Speechlys LLP

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Lurid details have been recounted involving work emails being used to send nude photos by Mr Easterbrook to his lovers and allegations made about favourable grants of shares after sexual trysts.

United KingdomEmployment and HR
Nick Hurley
Nick Hurley

The current litigation that is unfolding in Delaware is causing a tumultuous media stir. Steve Easterbrook, the erstwhile chief executive of the "golden arches" franchise in the UK, is facing legal action to clawback the eye-watering $40m that McDonald's paid him in order to depart the company amicably last November. Mr Easterbrook was sacked for having an affair with an employee, presumably in breach of US style policies (often referred to as "love contracts") which would have prohibited his personal relationship involvement with an employee of the company to avoid any presumption of or actual conflict of interest or abuse of position. At the heart of this action is the claim by McDonald's that, after a "tip off", they discovered that Mr Easterbrook had been sexually involved with three other female employees not known to them. McDonald's have argued that Mr Easterbrook lied to them about his liasons. Mr Easterbrook is claiming that the company was aware (at

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