Tiger Woods’ $30 million legal battle against ex-girlfriend Erica Herman has taken a turn. In court documents filed Friday, Herman accused the 15-time major champion of beginning their sexual relationship together while she was his employee and threatening her to sign a non-disclosure agreement or else face termination.
“A boss imposing different work conditions on his employee because of their sexual relationship is sexual harassment,” said Herman’s lawyer Benjamin Hodas.
Herman managed Woods’ restaurant in Palm Beach, Florida, before and during the early stages of their relationship, and she now wishes to void the non-disclosure agreement. Herman also accuses Woods of utilizing his lawyer to break up with her at the airport, with the accusation stating the lawyer evicted Herman from the property after Woods intentionally misled her with the promise of a vacation.
Herman is separately suing Woods’ trust — which Woods placed the ownership of the mansion into in 2017 — for unlawful eviction, claiming she was promised residence for 11 years and only received five.
The documents were filed in anticipation of Tuesday’s hearing in front of Circuit Judge Elizabeth Metzger. Woods’ legal team is expected to ask Metzger to throw the case away as the non-disclosure agreement requires disputes to be settled in a private matter.
Meanwhile, Herman claims the non-disclosure agreement is unenforceable given a new federal law signed by President Joe Biden in December 2022. The goal of the law is to curb the use of non-disclosure agreements that block sexual harassment victims in the workplace. Herman wishes for the non-disclosure agreement to be terminated, or at the very least receive guidance from Judge Metzger on what can and cannot be stated publicly about their relationship.
Herman and Woods have differing timelines as it pertains the beginning of their relationship and cohabitation. Herman, who was first hired by Woods in 2014, protests in court filings that they began their relationship in 2015 with her moving into Woods’ residence in 2016. Woods says their romantic relationship started in 2017 with Herman moving in with him in August.
Herman was first seen in the public spotlight with Woods at the Presidents Cup at Liberty National Golf Club in Jersey City, New Jersey, in September 2017. She has continued to be by Woods’ side during monumental moments, including the 2019 Masters as well as when Woods received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Donald Trump the year prior.