A former Facebook employee has filed a discrimination, sexual harassment, and retaliation lawsuit against the tech giant. The employee, Chia Hong, claims that she was subjected to three years of unlawful discrimination while she worked at the company. Hong was belittled for being a woman, and was directed to organize parties and to serve drinks to her male coworkers. She alleges that she was also asked why she was pursuing a career rather than staying at home to take care of her children. According to Hong, in addition, she was told “that she was not integrated into the team because she looks different and talks different than other team members.” After she complained about the harassment and discrimination she faced from her supervisor and other colleagues, she was fired. The lawsuit claims that the situations that Hong faced were not just one-off offenses. Rather, they were recurring behaviors that were the result of a companywide pattern of discrimination and harassment against women and minorities. Facebook has denied Hong’s allegations, stating, “We work extremely hard on issues related to diversity, gender and equality, and we believe we’ve made progress.” Like many other tech firms, Facebook faces a major diversity problem: in a report last June, the company stated that 69% of its overall workers, and 85% of its technology workers, were male. In addition, 77% of employees at the management level were men, and 74% were white. Growing awareness of gender discrimination in Silicon Valley The Facebook lawsuit is one of a series of cases that mark a growing awareness of gender inequality in the technology sector. In recent weeks, a former Twitter employee also filed a gender discrimination lawsuit. Regardless of how the Facebook and Twitter cases are resolved, they may encourage other victims of sexual harassment and gender discrimination in the tech sector to speak out about their rights. What to do if you have been a victim of gender discrimination or sexual harassment Nobody should have to face discrimination or sexual harassment in the workplace. Unfortunately, many victims of gender discrimination and sexual harassment do not complain because they are afraid of retaliation. If you have been a victim of discrimination or harassment, you should know that the law protects you from all forms of retaliation. Contact Akin Law Group for legal assistance If you have faced discrimination, sexual harassment, or retaliation in the workplace, you should consider filing a lawsuit to recover damages. The lawyers at Akin Law Group have extensive legal knowledge and experience, and are ready to help you maximize your chances of success in court. Call us at 866.685.5163 to schedule a free consultation.