Daniel McKenna, Aka Irish Yank, Sues Peloton For Discrimination

Daniel McKenna, the Peloton instructor known as the Irish Yank, has sued the company for allegedly discriminating against him after he was injured and subjecting him to Irish stereotypes.

McKenna was fired from the company in September, and in a lawsuit filed on Tuesday, he accused Peloton and chief content officer Jennifer Cotter of breach of employment, disability discrimination, and creating a hostile work environment. Neither McKenna’s attorney nor Peloton responded to a request for comment from BuzzFeed News.

According to the complaint, McKenna underwent an unexpected surgery in October 2021, and he didn’t want to get the COVID-19 vaccine for fear it could impede his recovery. (COVID vaccines are safe and effective, and serious side effects are extremely rare.) Cotter made disparaging remarks toward McKenna about wanting a medical exemption, the lawsuit said, and McKenna eventually got the vaccine out of fear of losing his job.

Cotter also allegedly used Irish stereotypes toward McKenna, including asking him if he was drunk on the job and pointing out his accent, telling him, “Nobody understands what you are saying, Daniel,” the lawsuit said.