The New Orleans Saints were ordered by an NFL arbitrator to pay a former assistant of late owner Tom Benson nearly $400,000 for violations of federal labor law, according to Ramon Antonio Vargas of the New Orleans Advocate.
Arbitrator Harold Henderson ordered the Saints to pay Rodney Henry the money due to him for overtime, contractual guarantees and legal fees following his dismissal from the team in 2015. Henry had served as Benson’s personal assistant over two stints spanning 25 years before being fired. He filed a lawsuit against the team in November 2015 accusing the Saints of not paying him overtime.
Additionally, he was contractually guaranteed double his salary, plus interest, if anyone other than Benson himself dismissed Henry from his position.
Henry had also alleged racial discrimination against Gayle Benson, but those claims were not given any compensation by Henderson.
The case was kicked to an arbitrator after initially being filed in federal court. The Saints can appeal the decision back to the courts.