Female California executive sued for sexual harassment

Multiple male high-tech executives in California have been making the news recently on account of allegations of misconduct or sexual harassment charges that have been filed against them. The technology industry is heavily male dominated, and the accusations being alleged against males in the business may make it even harder for the profession to attract and retain female employees. One female employee has now filed a lawsuit against a former female employer at Yahoo, claiming that the employee was coerced to have “oral and digital sex” with her supervisor under the threat of termination.

The employee, who had been working for Yahoo as a software engineer, said that her boss, an engineering executive, had told the employee that she had the power to take away her job if the employee did not give in to her requests. The employee says that when she refused her supervisor’s unwanted sexual advances, the executive retaliated by downgrading her performance reviews and demoting the employee on group projects.

The lawsuit also claims that Yahoo’s human resources department failed to conduct an adequate investigation into the charges when the employee filed an internal complaint. Lastly, the lawsuit says that the employee was wrongfully terminated. A Yahoo spokesperson wholly denied all of the allegations made against the female engineering executive, calling her an “exemplary Yahoo executive.” Yahoo said that it intends to stand behind the accused woman and fight strongly to defeat the charges.

Other recent headlines making the news regarding sexual harassment claims in the tech industry include an announcement that the CEO of a mobile marketing company is taking an “extended leave of absence” following allegations of sexual assault. Employees who fear that they are in an unsafe workplace or who feel that they are being discriminated against or sexually harassed may want to discuss the facts of their case with an employment law attorney.

Source: Washington Post, “Female executive at Yahoo sued for alleged sexual harassment“, Jena McGregor, July 15, 2014