A former PlayStation employee is suing parent company Sony for the second time over what the lawsuit describes as ‘gender-based discrimination and harassment’ after a similar legal action been fired in April. (h/t Axios)
In the five years and shift Emma Majo worked for PlayStation as a financial systems business analyst, explains the new class action lawsuit filed May 20, she encountered an environment of “systemic sexism” in the world. company which included lower pay for female employees compared to male colleagues in the same roles and the systematic denial of promotions for women.
Majo also claims that she was fired for speaking out about these issues.
“Sony condones and cultivates a work environment that discriminates against female employees, including female employees and those who identify as female,” the lawsuit states, later adding, “Because of the systemic pattern and practice of gender discrimination of Sony, plaintiff and members of the proposed class suffered harms, including loss of compensation, back pay, benefits and emotional distress.”
While many of the allegations are the same (if helpfully supported by new information), the scope of Majo’s retrial is more limited. Rather than seeking damages for all women employed by PlayStation in the United States, it now only affects women who worked in California below the level of vice president. The reduced accent is probably a direct response to Majo previous trial was thrown out last February for a lack of supporting details.
After Majo first sued Sony for its treatment of female PlayStation employees, eight more women came forward with accounts supporting the allegationsall of which were added to the original lawsuit and resurface in the May 20 filing.
“TO [Sony Online Entertainment], I got an email from an engineer telling me I shouldn’t wear a skirt to work anymore because it distracted him,” said Marie Harrington, a Sony veteran who left the company in 2019. “ Men ranked their female colleagues on hotness levels. There were email distribution lists for lewd jokes and images of women. [4chan] was used throughout the workday to further share offensive images of women.
Sony did not immediately respond to Kotakurequest for comment.
