A former Meta Platforms Inc. employee sued the social media and communication services giant Tuesday, alleging he was wrongfully fired earlier this year because he opposed what he believed to be a discriminatory work atmosphere for white males like him.
The plaintiff is identified only as David F. in the Los Angeles Superior Court lawsuit in which he seeks more than $5 million. His causes of action include sexual harassment, age, race, disability and sex discrimination, retaliation, failure to accommodate and engage in the interactive process as well as state Labor Code violations.
“Defendants, including its leadership at the highest levels, intentionally cultivated a hostile work environment against plaintiff and others based on their Caucasian race and male gender through hostile comments and directives to the workforce intended to discriminate,” the suit states.
A Meta representative did not immediately reply to a request for comment on the suit. According to David F.’s court papers, he was hired in late July 2018 to work in Los Angeles, but his job title is not indicated.
David F. contends that Meta management instructed employees to prioritize minority female applicants for hirings, recognitions, bonuses and promotions.
“As a result, employees, including plaintiff, understood that they had to participate in unlawful discrimination against Caucasian males in order to succeed with the company,” the suit alleges.
After David F. took a medical leave to deal with a disability, Meta supervisors discriminated and retaliated against him, including giving him a negative performance evaluation, the suit states.
The plaintiff contends his April 18 termination was connected to disability, age, gender and race as well as his requests for disability accommodations and for taking medical/disability-related leave. The suit states that David F. is “over 40 years of age.”
David F. has suffered severe emotional distress and incurred medical expenses as well as substantial salary and benefit losses since losing his job, the suit states.