A lawsuit against Google claims the global tech giant suddenly and wrongfully fired a female employee after she told the company she was pregnant and planning a maternity leave.
Sarah Lilleyman filed a statement of claim against Google in Toronto’s Superior Court of Justice on Friday, saying her joyful news was not greeted with the same enthusiasm by Google Canada, and she was given notice of termination within days of her telling her bosses.
“It is a scary thing to put yourself out there to take on this gigantic company that does have so much power,” said Lilleyman’s lawyer, Kathryn Marshall, in an interview.
“But she knows that there’s so many other women who are experiencing pregnancy discrimination at work who don’t have the ability to put themselves out there; either they don’t have the support, or they don’t have the resources. And she knows that she’s not only helping herself, but she’s helping so many other women,” Marshall said.
Lilleyman is seeking damages for wrongful dismissal for lost compensation and benefits, as well as $250,000 in punitive damages and $150,000 for alleged breaches of the Ontario Human Rights Code.
None of the allegations have been proven in court. Google has not yet had a chance to file a statement of defence. A Google spokesperson addressed questions about the lawsuit by the National Post in a general way.
“We prohibit discrimination in the workplace and publicly share our very clear policy,” said Lauren Skelly, a Google spokesperson.
“Reorganizations are part of the normal course of business. These decisions are based on business needs, and this is part of an ongoing effort to simplify structures and align product priorities.”
Originally published in the National Post https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/canadian-tech-worker-sues-google-pregnancy