Even if you work at a company in New York that has been named a “best place to work” by a publication or organization, you may still be subject to workplace discrimination. Incidents often start slowly, sometimes through seemingly innocent comments in multiple situations that turn a dream job into a workplace nightmare.
A dream job turns sour
The media platform Pinterest is one company where former employees have complained about workplace discrimination, even though Forbes put it on its 2017 list of companies where women most like to work. Two employees recently sued the company for racial discrimination, and the company’s former chief operation officer has sued Pinterest for gender discrimination.
Various media outlets have published interviews with former Pinterest employees that confirm a pattern of unequal treatment for women and people of color. The lawsuits, as well as media interviews, allege a culture where male superiors frequently question and make inappropriate comments to female employees. In one such interview, a former employee noted that problems began when her boss discovered she was separated from her husband and began to take an interest in her. As she continued to rebuff his verbal advances, the woman’s relationship with her boss deteriorated as he passed her up for projects and continued making inappropriate remarks. She eventually filed a complaint with Pinterest’s HR office but indicated that HR declined to investigate. The woman eventually resigned from her position at the company.
What can employees facing workplace discrimination do?
Federal and state laws protect workers against many different forms of workplace discrimination. The same laws that prohibit discrimination also prohibit harassment. If you believe you are a victim of either, an experienced attorney may explains your rights, assess your situation and determine what your next move should be going forward.