Recently, 10 executives from the online dating site, Tinder, brought a lawsuit against the company’s former CEO, accusing him of sexually harassing a female vice president. The lawsuit also claims that Tinder’s corporate parent, MATCH Group, overlooked the behavior because the CEO in question was a key player in a plan to minimize the company’s valuation and deny employees billions of dollars in stock. The lawsuit, filed in New York state court, is seeking at least $2 billion in damages.
The incident at the heart of the lawsuit took place in 2016 when Tinder’s Vice President of marketing and communications says the former CEO groped and sexually harassed her at a holiday party. She claims she initially hesitated in sharing her experience because it was her job to protect the company’s image. After the lawsuit was filed, the female accuser and three other plaintiffs were put on paid administrative leave.
MATCH Group Investigates Claims
A spokesperson for MATCH Group calls the allegations meritless and vows to vigorously defend Tinder and its parent company against them. They go on to say that upon learning about the 2016 incident, the MATCH Group board conducted a thorough investigation into the claims and found there to be no violation of corporate policy or the law. They state that they took appropriate action.
The female plaintiff at the heart of the case says she was only questioned by Match executives, not by an outside objective firm, and maintains the CEO was being protected because of his role in a plan to devalue the company. She says that rumors of the CEO being invited to the hotel room where the alleged assault occurred are false and denies participating in any mutual physical contact, as sources claim.
She adds that after much soul-searching, she finally decided to come forward about her experience because the self-loathing she experienced as a result was unbearable. She wants to protect other employees from the hostile work environment she experienced and overcome the fear of retaliation for speaking out against sexual harassment at work.
Middletown Sexual Harassment Lawyers at McOmber McOmber & Luber, P.C. Tackle Complex Sexual Harassment Cases
The law protects workers from sexual harassment and a hostile workplace. When victims of sexual harassment at work speak out, the law also protects them from retaliation. In certain cases, workers are falsely accused of sexual harassment, jeopardizing their reputation, career, and livelihood. If you have a sexual harassment complaint regarding your place of work, the Middletown sexual harassment lawyers at McOmber McOmber & Luber, P.C. will protect your rights.
Call our Red Bank office at 732-842-6500, our Marlton office at 856-985-9800, our Newark office at 973-878-9040, or contact us at 888-396-0736 or online for a free consultation. We represent clients throughout New Jersey.