New York, USA (CNN) – An Amazon employee filed a lawsuit against the company on Monday, accusing the tech giant of intentionally paying her and other black employees less than their white counterparts, becoming the latest employee on a growing list of Amazon workers. Who accused the company of systematic racism.
Amazon said it is investigating the lawsuit’s allegations, as a company spokesperson said: “Amazon is working hard to promote a diverse, fair and inclusive culture, and these allegations do not reflect those efforts or our values. We do not tolerate discrimination or harassment of any kind and we thoroughly investigate all allegations. We are taking appropriate action. “
Charlotte Newman, a 38-year-old black woman who lives in Washington, DC, said in the lawsuit that she was employed by Amazon Web Services 4 years ago to work as a director of public policy, although she said she had applied and is qualified to work in the position. Administrative at a higher level.
Newman’s attorneys wrote in the lawsuit filed in federal court in Washington, DC: “Many of Ms. Newman’s colleagues observed a consistent practice of paying black employees less than white employees in similar positions, and an almost complete underrepresentation of blacks, as well as very few women. In the higher positions of the group leadership. “
The lawsuit also accuses the company of “downgrading” black employees upon their appointment, and “placing them at a lower level than the position they applied to and were either qualified for or will perform.”
Newman says in the lawsuit that she waited nearly 3 years to be promoted to the level to which she originally applied, “even though she was awarded and completed the work of employees in higher positions.” She also says that she was sexually assaulted and harassed by a senior employee before submitting a written complaint about the alleged incident last June.
The lawsuit indicated that the senior employee had been dismissed.
Newman’s lawyer, Douglas Wigdor, said that it was too early to determine compensation, but that the lawsuit would be “in the millions of dollars,” adding that Newman decided to continue working at “Amazon” despite the manner in which it was allegedly treated.
Newman is the latest black Amazon employee to accuse the company of discriminatory practices. Last week, Rikode reported that black Amazon employees are being promoted less and receiving more rigorous ratings from their non-black colleagues, citing internal data and interviews with Amazon diversity managers.
“Amazon” told “Rekode” that the company does not agree with the description of the story of Amazon’s culture, claiming that the facts presented “are based on the opinions of a small number of individuals.”
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