Many major tech corporations have faced questions about the work environment for women employees in New York and across the county. In one such case, the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has launched an investigation into a potential claim of pregnancy discrimination against Google, the massive tech firm. Google and other companies have been criticized for their approach to workplace discrimination and sexual harassment cases, especially for their use in the past of mandatory arbitration clauses to keep those claims out of the courts.
Pregnancy discrimination claim receives widespread attention
One former researcher at Google wrote an internal memo that later spread outside the company, saying that she would not return to the firm after her maternity leave. She said that she was subjected to pregnancy discrimination on the job, including hostile and discriminatory comments from her supervisor. She also said that after complaining, she was given poor performance ratings and denied a promotion. However, she said that her complaints were not properly investigated until she hired an employment law attorney and that Google deemed her claims non-credible to the extent that she was never interviewed by HR. Later, she filed a complaint with the EEOC with additional details about her experience. In response, Google said that there were too few workers to promote the woman to a management position.
Discrimination claims at large firms
Many employees may hope that the institutional structures for reporting and investigation at large firms provide greater protection, but companies like Google have seen an increasing number of complaints about sex discrimination and other labor law issues, including wrongful termination and age discrimination. Since these cases have received attention, Google says that it has updated its reporting mechanisms and systems for investigating allegations of inappropriate conduct at work.
Workers at both small and large businesses continue to face serious problems with workplace discrimination. You might lose out on thousands of dollars in income or suffer serious impacts on your mental and physical health. Obtaining independent advice from an employment law attorney may help you to understand your rights in the workplace and seek justice and accountability.
