Erica Herman feared being 'jobless' before signing Tiger Woods NDA
Tiger Woods’ ex-girlfriend, Erica Herman, reportedly raised concerns about winding up “heartbroken and jobless” before agreeing to the non-disclosure agreement she signed in 2017, while she was an employee at his restaurant in Jupiter, Fla.
Herman filed court documents in March seeking to nullify an NDA she alleges Woods made her sign at the beginning of their relationship, which she lists as August 2017.
In a separate filing on Friday, Herman accused the pro golfer of sexual harassment, alleging he pursued a sexual relationship with her while she was an employee at his restaurant, The Woods Jupiter in South Florida, and told her to sign the NDA or be fired.
Now, a new report from USA Today says Herman sent an email to Woods’ business manager, Christopher Hubman, on Aug. 7, 2017, expressing concern about the NDA.
“My only concern is if by chance TW does something that brings our relationship to an end, do I automatically loose [sic] my job?” Herman asked in the email at the time.
“I don’t have any problems with what’s in the document because I wouldn’t go public or use anything I know to hurt him or the kids but with my whole life in his hands now I would want to have some kind of control over my future in the business.
“If something happened 5-10 years down the road I don’t want to be in my 40’s heartbroken and jobless. Thoughts?”
Erica Herman and Tiger Woods at the US Open tennis tournament on Aug. 31, 2022. Getty Images
Hubman, the chief financial officer of Tiger Woods Ventures, replied via email later that day, Aug. 7, and wrote:
“In my mind, your employment by The Woods Jupiter and your personal relationship with TW are two separate items. I don’t think the end of one automatically impacts the other…although I admit it could be complicated.
“It will most likely depend on the terms, condition or reason for the relationship ending. The NDA doesn’t address the terms of your TWJ employment…only the dissemination and control of information that you become privy to as a result of your personal and professional relationship with TW.”
Herman replied with: “I understand.”
Tiger Woods and girlfriend, Erica Herman, pose on the red carpet during the Presidents Cup Gala prior to Presidents Cup at The Royal Melbourne Golf Club on Dec. 10, 2019, in Melbourne, Australia. PGA TOUR
According to USA Today, the emails were filed in court by Woods’ attorney late Sunday in response to Herman’s sexual harassment filing on Friday.
In the Friday filing, Herman’s attorney, Benjamin Hobas, said she didn’t remember signing the NDA.
“Mr. Woods was Ms. Herman’s boss,’’ Hobas wrote as part of the filing, which first reported by Sports Illustrated. “On Mr. Woods’ own portrayal of events, he imposed an NDA on her as a condition to keep her job when she began having a sexual relationship with him.
“A boss imposing different work conditions on his employee because of their sexual relationship is sexual harassment.”
Tiger Woods plays his tee shot on the fourth hole during the second round of the 2023 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 7, 2023 in Augusta, Georgia. Getty Images
Herman and Woods dated for five years and she previously lived with him in at his South Florida home.
In October, Herman initially filed a lawsuit against a trust for Woods’ residence, suing for wrongful eviction and seeking $30 million in actual and consequential damages.
According to the legal documents, Herman accused Woods’ trust of using “trickery” tactics to convince her to leave his Jupiter, Fla. home for a “short vacation” in October 2022 — only to lock her out amid their split and deny her reentry to the residence.
Herman claimed in the landlord filing that she and Woods had an “oral agreement” that she could live at the home for a total of 11 years — and that they had five years remaining on the deal when he ended their relationship.
Tiger Woods looks on from the practice area during the third round of the 2023 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 8, 2023 in Augusta, Georgia. Getty Images
Tiger Woods of the United States team and girlfriend Erica Herman celebrate after winning the Presidents Cup during Sunday Singles matches on day four of the 2019 Presidents Cup at Royal Melbourne Golf Course on Dec. 15, 2019. Getty Images
On Friday, Herman’s attorney said Woods allegedly tried to “strong-arm her into signing a different NDA” when Woods and/or his representatives tricked her into leaving the home.
“Tiger Woods, the internationally renowned athlete and one of the most powerful figures in global sports, decided to pursue a sexual relationship with his employee, then – according to him – forced her to sign an NDA about it or else be fired from her job,” Hobas said.
“And, when he became disgruntled with their sexual relationship, he tricked her into leaving her home, locked her out, took her cash, pets, and personal possessions, and tried to strong-arm her into signing a different NDA.
“The scheme involved convincing Ms. Herman to pack for a weekend excursion to the Bahamas,’’ he wrote. “She and Mr. Woods often traveled on short notice for quick getaways, and she was told this would be another such trip. So, she took a minimum of items, expecting to return home in a few days.”
That’s when Hobas wrote that Woods’ lawyers then informed Herman she was locked out of the home and could not return.
“Then, Mr. Woods’s California lawyer, out of the blue, told her that she was not going anywhere, would never see Mr. Woods again, had been locked out of the house, and could not return,’’ the Friday filing said.
“She would not even be able to see the children or her pets again. While still in the hangar, ‘Ray Donovan (a fictional character) with a pen’ proceeded to insult Ms. Herman, (advised) her she had no legal rights, and (tried) to force her to agree to a (different) non-disclosure and arbitration agreement.”
Source: New York Post
