Most companies are more than willing to ensure that workers have a safe environment and will take measures to facilitate this. However, there may be instances where there is more to the story than what employees allege in a workplace discrimination case. It is vital that Georgia businesses know how to protect themselves from these accusations and how to deal with any legitimate claims that may arise. The social media giant Pinterest is having to contend with just this scenario after several employees claimed they experienced both racial and gender discrimination while on the job.
Two Pinterest employees say that they experienced racial discrimination at their workplace earlier this year. They decided to organize a walkout of employees just last month to protest. They posted their intentions on an employee website asking others to also sign a petition to stop bias in the workplace. One former COO filed a suit against the company saying that she was wrongfully terminated and experienced gender bias.
Some accuse Pinterest of gender bias saying that while it’s a site primarily used by women, it is run mostly by men and doesn’t give enough weight to the opinions of female executives. Pinterest has said that it wants to respect the employees in their demands and hopes to create a dialogue that will generate meaningful change. It has denied the charges of racial bias and says it is working with attorneys to determine exactly what is going on and to review the lawsuit.
No matter how this turns out for Pinterest, it shows just how susceptible a business may be to claims of workplace discrimination. Claims like these, no matter whether they are truthful or not, need to be handled properly to minimize any potential damage to a company. Businesses here in Georgia that want to prevent or handle any accusations of discrimination may want to work with an experienced attorney who can guide them through a potentially difficult event.
