Rachael Ray Show Sued by Anorexic Accountant

A former New York accountant for Rachael Ray's TV cooking show has filed a $1 million lawsuit claiming he was forced out of his job after he had complained about the unfair treatment he was subjected to at work because he has an eating disorder.

Aaron Ferguson said in papers filed in Manhattan's state Supreme Court that he has been anorexic for about six years. He also told in court papers that his supervisor repeatedly showed "hostile behavior" and made "vile," discriminatory and injurious comments. Such comments were "Anorexics are sick in the head," and "Anorexics should not be able to work," according to the filed papers.

"The things that were said in front of my client were hurtful, and once they knew he had a problem with it they should have stopped," said on Thursday William H. Kaiser, Ferguson's lawyer.

Ferguson says he complained several times about the use of discriminatory language regarding anorexics by his supervisor, in his presence, but their superiors took no measures to stop similar situations from repeating.

According to Ferguson, he started working for CBS Television Distributions Inc., a CBS Corp. unit and the producer and owner of the "Rachael Ray" show, in July 2007. After he deplored the treatment he was under, they pushed him out of the job in October 2007, he says.

"He was punished for complaining," said attorney Kaiser classifying the act as one of retribution.

The lawsuit, filed late Wednesday, names CBS Corp., CBSTD Inc. and three workers to the show as defendants. Rachael Ray’s name is not among them.