Human Capital: Ex-Pinterest employees who alleged discrimination say ‘no progress has been made’
This was quite the week for Pinterest, and not in a good way. While the company settled the gender discrimination lawsuit brought forth by its former COO, the hefty $22.5 million settlement highlighted some of the tech industry’s inequities.
Meanwhile, Airbnb outlined some new goals around diversity and inclusion, despite having not produced a diversity report since last year, when it disclosed its 2018 data.
All that and more in this week’s edition of Human Capital. Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox every Friday at 1 p.m. PT.
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Pinterest has shared the details of a review into its workplace culture, which was initiated after two former employees outlined their experiences, as employees of color, working for the platform.
After Pinterest shared a public response in support of the #BlackLivesMatter protests back in June, the two employees criticized the company, saying that despite its public commentary, its own culture was not in-line with its supportive sentiments.
Former employee Ifeoma Ozoma outlined the way that she was treated on the basis of race within the company, and how she felt compelled to keep such quiet in the interests of professionalism.
Employee Benefits 15th December 2020 12:55 pm
Social media organisation Pinterest has agreed to pay a $22.5 million (£16.9m) settlement in a gender discrimination case.
In August 2020, Francoise Brougher, former chief operating officer at Pinterest, filed a lawsuit against the organisation, stating that she received less equity in shares than her male counterparts during her first year at the organisation. She also raised allegations concerning gender discrimination.
Following the lawsuit, Pinterest agreed to a $20 million settlement paid to Brougher and her attorneys, as well as a commitment of $2.5 (£1.8m) million to support women and underrepresented communities in the technology industry.
In a joint statement, Brougher and Pinterest said: “Pinterest and Francoise Brougher have reached a settlement which includes an investment of $2.5 (£1.8m) million to be used towards advancing women and underrepresented communities in the tech industry.
Kimberly White/Getty Images
Prominent women of color in the tech industry have said Pinterest s $22.5 million gender discrimination settlement with its former COO Francoise Brougher is another example of how Black women are ignored.
Senior figures in the industry contrasted the settlement with the way Ifeoma Ozoma and Aerica Shimizu Banks, two Black women who publicly resigned from Pinterest in June, were treated after their departure.
Ozoma and Banks, who alleged racial and gender discrimination when they resigned, told TechCrunch Tuesday they got less than a year s severance.
Meanwhile, Francoise Brougher will receive $20 million as part of the settlement for herself and her attorneys.
Pinterest settles gender discrimination lawsuit filed by former COO for $22.5 million
Brougher s complaint came at the heels of public statements aired by two Black women who said that they faced racism as well as sexism at Pinterest.
December 16, 2020 05:43 GMT
The former COO of Pinterest may be celebrating the holidays $22.5 million richer as Pinterest settles the gender discrimination lawsuit that she brought against the social media giant.
Pinterest already settled the gender discrimination lawsuit that its former COO Francoise Brougher brought against the company in August. Brougher, in her complaint, noted that she was paid a lower salary than her male colleagues. She also alleged that she was left out of important meetings several times and that the company s CFO Todd Morgenfeld would give her gendered feedback. She also claimed that when she spoke out about this kind of mistreatment, she was fired.