Pennsylvania Pinterest users might be concerned to learn that one of the company’s former executives is suing the company over gender discrimination claims. The woman also posted an article on Medium that details her allegations.
In an article entitled “The Pinterest Paradox: Cupcakes and Toxicity,” Pinterest’s former chief operating officer claims that female executives at the company are “marginalized, excluded and silenced” by male executives. She says that the sexist dynamic within the company is especially shocking because 70% of the website’s users are women.
The woman was employed by Pinterest for two years. During her time with the company, she supervised a staff of 1,500 employees, more than doubled the company’s profits, expanded the website into 20 countries and increased advertising by 800%. On Aug. 11, she filed a discrimination lawsuit against Pinterest claiming that she was subjected to sexist comments by the company’s chief financial officer. She also claims that she did not receive as much financial compensation as her male counterparts and was told she was not compliant enough. Finally, she alleges that she was fired in retaliation for speaking out against the discrimination. Two other former Pinterest employees, both black women, recently took to Twitter to say they also experienced discrimination while working at the company. On Aug. 13, Pinterest employees staged a virtual walkout to highlight the company’s alleged discrimination issues.
Under state and federal law, Pennsylvania employers are forbidden from discriminating against employees based on their race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, age and more. Employees who believe they have been subjected to workplace discrimination may benefit from contacting an employment attorney. After reviewing the details of the case, the attorney may recommend filing a claim with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. This might lead to a settlement that compensates the employee for lost pay, lost benefits, emotional distress and more.
