This week, Warner Bros. Discovery initiated legal action against Amazon, claiming interference with contractual relations, contract violation, and unfair competition.

According to Deadline, the legal filing claims Amazon has been “rushing to poach several contracted employees,” including Pia Barlow, an HBO Max marketing executive who recently transitioned to Amazon MGM Studios. Warner Bros. (whose acquisition by Paramount is currently on hold for at least a few months) stated that Barlow’s employment contract was “not due to expire until October 31, 2027.”

“In complete defiance of established California law, Amazon has acted irresponsibly by attempting to persuade Plaintiffs’ employees with fixed-term employment contracts to violate those contracts without consequences, supported by the assurance that Amazon will protect and indemnify them if they are held accountable for their clearly unlawful actions,” Warner Bros. asserted.

The company further alleged that Amazon sought to “tortiously induce another WBD employee to violate their fixed-term employment contract, which had a termination date of December 2027,” although that executive (thought to be HBO programming executive Francesca Orsi) ultimately remained with Warner Bros.

Deadline pointed out that this lawsuit could reignite discussions about the enforceability of fixed-term employment contracts under California law.

Amazon MGM Studios chose not to provide any comment.