eXp Realty Faces Two New Lawsuits Alleging Retaliation Against Women Who Reported Sexual Misconduct

eXp Realty is facing two more lawsuits from women who claim the company retaliated against them for reporting drug use, sexual assault and other misconduct connected to company events. The suits add to litigation that began in 2023 when a group of women sued in California over alleged abuse by top recruiting agents, a case that is scheduled for trial next year.

Noelle Nielsen, a former top eXp influencer now with a rival brokerage, sued in Minnesota state court in June for breach of contract, harassment and retaliation, claiming eXp executives threatened to fire her if she cooperated in other lawsuits against the company. Ashley Golladay, a former corporate employee, sued in Washington state court in June, claiming she was fired after reporting her direct supervisor, Dave Conord. In an October 6, 2020, memo to then-Chief Executive Jason Gesing, Nielsen described drug use and sexual harassment by agents Michael Bjorkman and David Golden, who are at the center of the earlier lawsuits.

On August 12, eXp responded in court to Nielsen's suit, arguing that her claims are barred by the statute of limitations, that as an independent contractor she is not covered by whistleblower or wage-theft protections, and that her reports of misconduct were "barely-veiled threat(s)" made as she sought a sponsorship change. In a statement, eXp said it takes the allegations seriously and has robust policies to address misconduct and retaliation, but that the claims are entirely without merit and it intends to defend the case vigorously.