Linda Johnson Rice, whose family sold Ebony and Jet to private equity firm CVG Group in 2016, stepped away from her chairperson role with the company once again.

Johnson Rice’s departure emerged on Thursday, the same day that the National Writers Union filed a complaint in Cook County Court claiming the publisher of Ebony and the digital-only Jet had reneged on an agreement for pay back pay to 40 freelance writers.

Michael Gibson, the head of CVG, had not returned a call by press time.

Johnson Rice first left the publishing company when Johnson Publishing sold its media holdings two years ago.