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Wiccan Sues Google for Discrimination

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A former Google employee who practices Wicca filed suit against the company, alleging sexual and religious discrimination sparked by his attempt to defend a transgender coworker from discrimination.

In the federal complaint filed on October 29, James Bara charges that his supervisor, Pam Sohn, joked about an incoming hire who was transgender. When Bara asked Sohn to stop, he claims she retaliated by making jokes about his Wiccan faith and giving preferential treatment to women in the office, according to the blog La Figa. 

“Despite numerous attempts to resolve the problems, including involving the upper reaches of corporate HR, no progress was made, and Bara was fired,” reports La Figa.

Google investigated and concluded that no discrimination had taken place. It vowed to defend itself against the lawsuit.

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Reader Comments
  • Name: Dani
    Date posted: 11/6/2009 12:49:59 PM
    Hometown: Antelope

    Comment:

    *Grabs the fire extinguisher and looks at Ryan's couch* Hey call me a cynic. The whole thing sounds a bit strange to me and I don't have the facts so it is not for me to judge. I do know that no matter how the truth falls there is pain suffered on all sides when a case like this comes up.

  • Name: Davya
    Date posted: 11/5/2009 11:13:59 PM
    Hometown: wynnewood, PA

    Comment:

    Come on Ryan. Are you really going to believe corporate "honesty"?

  • Name: Ryan
    Date posted: 11/5/2009 9:32:34 PM
    Hometown: Boston

    Comment:

    @Dan. When big companies have an EEOC charge filed against them, trust me, they investigate it. If they find that discrimination may have take place, they settle, because Title VII cases are really expensive to defend against. Saying they shouldn't be taken at their word on this is like saying I shouldn't be taken at my word when I say I didn't just set my couch on fire.

  • Name: Dan
    Date posted: 11/5/2009 7:08:14 PM
    Hometown: Austin, Texas

    Comment:

    "Google investigated and concluded that no discrimination had taken place. It vowed to defend itself against the lawsuit." This should read something like, "Google said it investigated and concluded...." Taking one side's word isn't good reporting.

  • Name: Ryan
    Date posted: 11/5/2009 6:06:18 PM
    Hometown: Boston

    Comment:

    Even if he has a case, he'll loose. I've read a lot of bad complaints and his lawyer's is one of the worst I've seen. I have trouble believing he even went to law school.



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