McDonald’s sues former chief Stephen Easterbrook over sexual relationships with staff

McDonald’s has filed a lawsuit against former chief executive officer Stephen Easterbrook to recover his exit package after an internal investigation showed that he had sexual relationships with multiple employees, violating company policy.

Easterbrook “concealed evidence and lied about his wrongdoing” and had physical sexual relationships with three McDonald’s employees in the year before his termination, the filing said.

McDonald’s added that Easterbrook approved an “extraordinary” stock grant, worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, for one of those employees in the midst of their sexual relationship.

In November last year the former McDonald's chief stepped down after having a relationship with an employee that violated company policy.

At the time and after almost five years at the corporation's helm, Easterbrook acknowledged the affair in an email to workers, adding that it was a mistake.