A former Pinterest Chief Operating Officer is suing the California-based social media service on allegations of discrimination, retaliation and wrongful termination. The former COO alleges that despite being a high-ranking employee at Pinterest, she was treated differently from her male peers. She claims that she was expected to be submissive to the other male executives and was punished and scolded for speaking out. She was also paid much less than her male peers, despite performing a similar job.
Eventually, the former COO filed a complaint with higher authorities, alleging that she had been subjected to sex-based discrimination. Instead of investigating the complaint, the suit alleges, the company retaliated by firing her. The company also tried to claim that she had left voluntarily instead of being terminated.
As a result, the former COO filed a lawsuit that accuses the company of discrimination and wrongful termination. In a statement, Pinterest claimed that they are looking into the complaint and taking the issue seriously. However, the former COO alleges in her lawsuit that Pinterest deliberately created a hostile environment toward women and minorities, with the company being led mostly by white men.
What to do when faced with wrongful termination
A worker might be wrongfully terminated for a number of factors, including discrimination against their age, race, gender or sexual orientation. If you feel that you’ve been subjected to a wrongful firing, consider speaking with a lawyer. A legal representative could answer your questions and help determine if a lawsuit if viable. If so, the lawyer will collect evidence and documentation to build the strongest case possible against your former company.