In December, the social media platform Pinterest and its executives settled a major gender discrimination lawsuit after former COO Françoise Brougher alleged she was paid less than male colleagues, left out of meetings, and was given gendered feedback by the Pinterest CFO Todd Morgenfeld. Upon speaking up about the discrimination, she was fired. The suit has since been settled for $22.5 million.
Unfortunately, a settlement does not mean justice as issues constantly arise like this in the tech industry, despite the fact that Pinterest, which caters to a predominantly female base, has made strides to limit racism and sexism in the content shared.
In a 2017 edition of the New Yorker, the impacts of sexism in the tech industry were evaluated. In the study entitled “The Elephant in the Valley,” a group of female tech investors and executives conducted a survey of two hundred senior-level women in Silicon Valley showing how common discrimination is in the industry. The study found the following:
- 84% of the participants reported that they had been told they were “too aggressive” in the office;
- 66% said that they had been excluded from important events because of their gender;
- 60% reported unwanted sexual advances in the workplace; and
- 40% never reported any of the incidents because they feared retaliation.
Though this study is dated, the newest findings do not shed much light on changes in Silicon Valley. In a study conducted in the UK,
- 49% of women surveyed claimed they have experienced some form of discrimination in the workplace;
- 20% have resigned in the past because of discrimination or harassment in the workplace; and
- 60% of respondents believe that a lack of diversity is an issue in the tech sector.
But with the complications of remote working, the balance of family responsibilities and work, the gender discrimination issue across the nation will continue to be an issue. But the gender discrimination lawyers at Brown Kwon & Lam can help you seek justice.
Gender Discrimination in New York City: Brown Kwon & Lam
Whether you work in the tech industry, hospitality, higher education, or medicine, you deserve to know that there is a team ready to stand up for you in your fight against gender discrimination.
If your rights have been violated in New York as a result of gender discrimination, you deserve justice. It is best to seek legal representation from a New York City employment attorney, like Brown Kwon & Lam to ensure you receive the justice you deserve. If you believe that you were a victim of gender discrimination or harassment, call us today.