Last week, the world of venture capital in Silicon Valley
was placed under a microscope due to the sex discrimination trial of Ellen
Pao versus Kleiner Perkins.
Testimony in the case included reports about men in bathrobes, all-male
parties, nude photos, and “subtle
comments,” including “Speak up – but don’t talk too much. Light up the room – but don’t overshadow
others. Be confident and critical – but
not cocky or negative.” and “[y]ou
had to be one of the guys” to be successful. Other evidence included a matrix
showing investment success versus compensation in which a female partner made
more successful investments but less money than her male counterparts. Testimony continues this week with Ms. Pao.In other developments:
Discrimination
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The New York Times exposed the fact that more men named John than women (with any name) run companies.
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Salesforce announced a new policy that all important meetings should be comprised of at least thirty percent women.
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The United Nations’ International Labour Organization reported that without intervention, it will take 70 years to close the gender-based wage gap.
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Sak’s Fifth Avenue settled its transgender discrimination case after sparking public outrage over its position that transgender individuals are not protected by Title VII.
Technology
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The Harvard Business Review discussed how business should put trust in algorithms when making decisions.
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The American Association for the Advancement of Science discussed how big data can infringe on human rights and privacy interests.
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InsideCounsel covered the concerns compliance officers must consider when employees use social media.
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A former Google employee tweeted about the sexual harassment she experienced at the company.
Wage and Hour
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The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division announced that it recovered $240 million from employers for various wage and hour violations.
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The annual study of the 100 best employers for parents again showed that working parents want autonomy, parenting leave, and not hard-and-fast working hours.
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Vodafone announced a new maternity leave policy that allows mothers to work 30 hours per week but receive full pay for six months after returning from leave.
Posted by: Kate Bischoff
