Fired Florida assistant golf pro who staged hunger strike files lawsuit

FORT MYERS, Fla. — The former assistant golf pro at Legends Golf and Country Club, who said he was unjustly fired in May, has filed legal action against the club.

Standing outside the resident’s entrance to the grounds Monday, Brad Stecklein, 46, said “I just want answers. The main reason I’m here today is to announce there’s a lawsuit. I’m also asking. … for the resignation of general manager Renae Frazier and PGA golf professional Chad Perkins.”

The suit filed against the club’s master association claiming violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act and seeking damages in excess of $30,000.

He is claiming a new golf pro at the club wanted him to work 57 hours a week, to stop giving golf lessons on the clock and then fired him after he asked the club’s general manager for a job referral. As part of the suit, Stecklein is also seeking compensation for unpaid regular and overtime hours he worked.

After he was fired, Stecklein staged a hunger strike at the entrance to the club, stopping only when his wife became concerned about his weight loss during the multi-day action.

“All I know is that I have 100 people who are willing to be deposed,” he said. “I’m looking forward to my day in court.”

Frazier, Legends general manager and chief operating officer, said Legends does not comment on pending matters.

Perkins could not be reached for comment and did not respond phone messages for a statement.

In May, Frazier expressed puzzlement on why Stecklein was staging the hunger protest and declined to make a statement.

Legends Golf & Country Club member Dr. John Pawlowicz stops to offer support to Brad Stecklein on Tuesday, May 4, 2021. Photo by Amanda Inscore/Fort Myers News-Press

“Nobody is fired without cause,” was all she would say. A memo sent out by Bill Hoffman, Legends’ Master Board president after Stecklein was let go said “It has long been the Policy of your Club to not comment publicly on the details of any specific employee’s discipline or termination. We believe that Policy is sound management practice and best serves the interests of both the employee and the Club.”

Florida is a work “at-will” state, meaning a worker can generally be fired without cause or notice.

According to state statutes, there are exceptions. You cannot fire an employee under Florida employment law if termination is for an illegal reason or goes against the terms of an employment contract.

Stecklein said there was no reason to fire him as he has been a loyal employee at Legends for almost a decade and a half.

Stecklein said he has been moved by support from “an army of (club) members” and stories about his firing, including coverage by Golfweek, that he said went viral and drew job offers and other types of support.

He said he declined the job offers because his family wanted to remain in the Lee County area.

“My wife didn’t want to move, which I understand,” he said.

For the most part, he said, he has handled the firing.

“I had a lot of trauma for a couple of months and, it’s tough, as an Iowa boy, you’re supposed to just be tough and move on,” he said.

One thing Stecklein said he was saddened on was how Hoffman, the board president, handled the issue.

“He broke my heart,” Stecklein said. “He was like a father figure to me, He was always around and smiling. Always so positive, not negative.”

He said he was puzzled by Hoffman’s change of heart, promising to meet with him and then ended up blocking the former golf pro on social media and emails.

“I just wanted to ask him why they were doing this to me,” he said.

Other club members have offered support and even started a gofundme collection for Stecklein that went a far way to help his family. Since May that effort has collected $14,200.

“My wife has a chronic illness and doctor bills always piling up,” he said. “That helped a lot.”

He said another thing that really touched him deeply was when his 11-year-old son came to him and offered him his allowance back to “help pay the bills.”

Stecklein said that one heartfelt offer put him in a downward spiral at the time.

“I just told him we’re going to be ok,” he said. “Everything’s going to be fine.”