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Justin Baldoni accused of 'toxic positivity' by employees

Justin Baldoni accused of 'toxic positivity' by employees
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Justin Baldoni has been accused of "toxic positivity" by former employees of his production company.

The under-fire actor and director, 41, co-founded the production company Wayfarer Studios in 2019 and the company has been behind films including The Garfield Movie and It Ends With Us.

But former staff have criticised the running of the office, claiming a relentlessly positive approach to business was enforced that ended up putting some on edge.

One former employee told The Los Angeles Times on Wednesday, "It was constant positivity all the time - I would say toxic positivity.

"I'm always a little dubious of people who advertise themselves as disruptors of the status quo or quote-unquote 'good people.' It felt phoney."

The publication added that Baldoni's Baha'i Faith was a key component of the office culture - leaving some staff to feel they were being pressured to support the controversial religion.

One employee stated, "There was an evangelising aspect to the way Justin spoke about the faith that, in my opinion, felt professionally inappropriate."

Us Weekly has quoted a spokesperson who has combatted the claims, saying, "There have never been any reported complaints regarding the workplace culture, or any communicated issues regarding the platforms of its founders.

"If any guidance was ever provided to employees of how to conduct their written correspondence, it was to ensure that the activities of its employees remained professional and aligned with the ethos of the company. Wayfarer believes that joy and positivity are the essence of good work, and they stand by this statement."

Confronting the claims about the Baha'i Faith the spokesperson added, "Employees are encouraged to celebrate and practice their individual beliefs however they see fit, a message which is proudly supported by leadership."

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