Howard Stern sued by ex-assistant as she exposes alleged hostile work environment

Howard Stern and his wife, Beth Stern, are being sued by their former assistant for allegedly creating a hostile work environment.

The couple’s ex-executive assistant Leslie Kuhn states she started working at their 20,000 square foot Southampton mansion in New York at their request in May 2024, in documents obtained by Page Six.

Kuhn says Beth needed help in managing the staff of the mansion and managing household operations, including Beth’s “extensive at-home feline rescue and fostering operations.”

Kuhn claims that despite getting a letter in December 2025 from Howard’s production company stating that she would be getting a raise to $265,000 and an $80,000 bonus in 2026, she was fired in February.

According to the docs, Kuhn says she was fired because of “a hostile work environment” and “immense pressures on the household created by irresponsible and untenable animal rescue and fostering operations occurring on-site, and massively disorganized and questionable business operations and accounting practices.”

She also claims Howard’s production company presented her with a non-disclosure agreement that she denies ever signing. Kuhn claims that both the reasons she was fired and the NDA were “manufactured by the Defendants in general and Beth Stern in particular.”

According to Kuhn, the NDA — which she’s asking the court to make unenforceable — not only silences her from speaking about her employment and how she was terminated, but also permits Howard and Beth to speak freely about her.

“Such a contractual relationship would place Kuhn — a mere at-will employee with considerably less influence and resources than the Sterns, their affiliated entities and associates — at a distinct and unfair advantage personally, professionally and publicly,” the docs state.

Page Six has reached out to reps for both Howard and Beth, but didn’t immediately receive a response.

Beth is a longtime animal activist. Back in May 2016, she told Page Six she was fostering 17 cats in her home.

“Right now I have 17 cats in my house that I rescued and I’m fostering,” she said. “[Howard] is always the one who says, ‘Come on and bring them in.’ It’s kitten season so we’re in high gear.”

“I think cats have a hard time,” she added. “My husband and I are trying to make cats cool and it’s working.”

Beth is the national spokesperson for North Shore Animal League America, the world’s largest no-kill animal rescue organization. According to the organization, since 2013, she’s rescued, nurtured, and rehomed more than 2,000 cats and kittens.