The cab service provider has reportedly fired more than 20 people following an internal investigation into harassment claims.
Uber Technologies Inc. has taken some much-awaited decisions in a probe after allegations against the company’s inability to take appropriate actions against sexual harassment issues at the workplace. The cab service provider has reportedly fired more than 20 people following an internal investigation into the various harassment claims.
Former Uber engineer Susan Fowler had alleged that the company failed to act on sexual harassment and gender discrimination complaints. In an elaborate blog earlier this year, Fowler had expressed how, despite various attempts, the company did not take any action against her complaints on sexual harassment and gender discrimination in the workplace. With her blog, a few other existing and ex-employees also admitted to facing such issues.
Following this incident, CEO Travis Kalanick called for an urgent investigation into the claims. As a result, a legal investigation was set up and Bobbie Wilson, an attorney at Perkins Coie LLP, reportedly gave Uber’s more than 12,000 employees an assessment of the firm’s investigation this week.
Another separate probe commissioned by Uber and led by former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder has apparently given its own recommendations to a subcommittee of Uber’s board of directors.
Furthermore, as per some media reports, in a review of 215 human resources claims, the legal firm Perkins Coie took no action in 100 instances while it continues to investigate 57 others. Meanwhile, 31 employees are in counselling or training, while seven received written warnings from the company. The issues deal with harassment, discrimination, retaliation and other HR matters.
Although the names of those fired haven’t been revealed yet, it is believed that some of those fired include senior executives as well.
In a recent development along the same lines, Kalanick had also asked for the resignation of Amit Singhal, head of software engineering, after the company learned of a sexual harassment claim against him at his former employer, Google. Singhal, who left in late February, had denied the allegation.