Baseball legend Tony La Russa said on Wednesday he will continue to support the Animal Rescue Foundation in Walnut Creek despite his family’s recent decision to step away from the non-profit they founded 30 years ago.
This comes as former employees file claims against the shelter for a harmful work environment.
The La Russa family announced on Saturday their intentions to resign from the Animal Rescue Foundation after some described the work culture as "toxic" and "abusive." The former Oakland A's and current Chicago White Sox Manager released a statement via Twitter on Wednesday afternoon saying that move was a "mistake."
"Tony wants to continue to be involved, although I think not at the board level," ARF Board President Greg McCoy said. "I continue to try to persuade him to step in to some sort of modified chairman’s role. We’ve left that position open for that reason."
La Russa's wife and kids said they can no longer back ARF because of the current leadership’s failure to investigate employee complaints involving bullying and retaliation. The Hall of Famer theorized those complaints were connected with the COVID-19 crisis, which "resulted in atypical actions."
McCoy denied the allegations and blames the strain of the COVID-19 pandemic. "It certainly had a significant effect on ARF," he said. "I would trace back a lot of the issues that have arisen with employees, both former and current, to some of the cut backs we’ve had to make as a result."
ARF has reduced its staff by a third since last year.
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