Uber CEO Forced to Take Leave in the wake of Sexual Harassment Scandal
Boston, MA– Uber CEO and co-founder Travis Kalanick is taking a temporary leave of absence as the company is embroiled in a sexual harassment scandal. His announcement followed the recommendations of third party investigators.
Uber’s Sexual Harassment Problem
Kalanick announced Monday that he would be taking a leave of absence for an undetermined amount of time as the company recovers from a sexual harassment scandal.
Kalanick’s leave was one of the many recommendations from law firm Covington & Burling LLP who examined the culture of Uber and discovered some troubling behaviors after former employees complained of a toxic environment. The recommendations included changing senior leadership, improvements to the human resources department, a better complaint process, and regular performance reviews.
According to the Huffington Post, the report also calls for a “reformulation” of the Uber’s corporate culture to be more inclusive and underscore behaviors like “mutual respect.” The report also encourages the company to prohibit office relationships, allowing easier transfers and clarifying how promotions are awarded.
Overall, the report contained about 47 recommendations, but some in the upper echelons of the company didn’t get the report’s message. Despite the scathing report and Kalanick’s leave, one board member made a sexist joke during a board meeting which soon resulted in his resignation.
The Washing Post reports that billionaire businessman David Bonderman made a sexist comment at a company meeting on Tuesday directed at fellow board member Ariana Huffington. In response to Huffington’s suggestion that the company should hire more women for its corporate offices, Bonderman interrupted Huffington to say, “it’s much likely there’ll be more talking.”
Shortly after making the inappropriate comment, Bonderman resigned from the board, acknowledging he was wrong. The fact that Bonderman felt comfortable making such a comment in a roomful of people points to the pervasiveness of sexism in Uber’s corporate ranks.
Employers Pay When They Don’t Address Sexual Harassment
Like too many workplaces, Uber fostered a culture where sexual harassment was tolerated and failed to address complaints as they arose. By not handling complaints immediately and appropriately
Employers should do the following when they receive a sexual harassment complaint:
Make complete report of the employee’s allegations
Investigate their claims
If their allegations are true, the offending employees should be punished appropriately including unpaid leave, demotions and even termination depending on the severity of the harassment
Offer improved sexual harassment training
Speak with a Sexual Harassment Lawyer in Boston
Sexual harassment is common in workplaces across Massachusetts. Such behavior is toxic and has a negative effect on the workplace as a whole, so the target of discrimination and harassment needs to take action. Let USAttorneys.com connect you with sexual harassment lawyer in Boston, Massachusetts. You learn what steps you must take to get the compensation you deserve.
You can find an experienced and devoted sexual harassment lawyer in Boston to build your claim so that you recover the compensation you deserve for the abuse you suffered. Call and arrange a consultation with one of our employment lawyers today.
