The ex-staffer claims HR was always 'unresponsive' - from her first complaint to her firing
A former Netflix employee is suing the company for alleged pregnancy discrimination.
Tania Zarak claims her manager retaliated and fired her after she announced her pregnancy. She added that HR did not help at all – from her first complaint to her firing.
The streaming giant denies the claims, adding they’ve previously investigated the matter and found the accusations unsubstantiated.
She was fired just months after the pregnancy disclosure, according to the 35-page lawsuit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court seen by HRD.
She claims she was also shunned at work and secretly removed from projects prior to her firing. She alleged her boss, Francisco Ramos, stopped adding her to emails and excluded her from meetings.
Ramos also allegedly made demeaning comments about her appearance following the announcement.
After a month of mistreatment, Zarak made a complaint to human resources. She requested a department transfer but the HR manager told her to speak to Ramos instead.
She proceeded to speak with her supervisor. During the conversation, Ramos grew “visibly agitated” after Zarak shared her plans to take maternity leave.
He then pressured her to quit, adding they could arrange a compensation scheme. She said she didn’t want to quit and suggested a change in departments but was denied the request.
The next day Ramos called her into a meeting with HR where she was “let go”. She claimed she wasn’t given a reason for her firing and the HR manager did not respond to the issue.
Netflix’s spokesperson told Vox that the company “works hard to ensure that employees with families, or who are starting a family, have the flexibility and support they need”.
Singapore’s Ministry of Manpower (MOM) recently revealed the number of gender discrimination complaints, including pregnancy-related cases, made over the past three years.
“MOM takes a serious view of workplace discrimination, including discrimination on the grounds of gender,” said manpower minister Josephine Teo. “We expect all employers to comply with our legislation, and abide by the principles of fair and merit-based employment practices.”
To read more on the story, click here: MOM reveals number of gender discrimination complaints
