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Zillow settles several employee lawsuits

On Behalf of | Jun 10, 2016 | Sexual Harassment |

Maryland residents might have heard that Zillow, an online service that provides real estate listings, is the subject of several lawsuits regarding its employees in Irvine, California. On May 5, however, it reportedly settled four of these suits during a court-ordered conference.

One of the cases involved a former female worker claiming that she experienced the most detestable sexual harassment behavior imaginable. The woman started as an inside sales consultant at Zillow in June 2012. She claims that her male supervisors “demanded sexual gratification and obedience” from her in order to remain employed. They also allegedly ranked her based on her breast size and sent her photos of their penises. Zillow strongly denied the claims. It added that the complaint does not reflect its workplace or culture and is inconsistent with its values. The company does not tolerate any type of harassment.

In a lawsuit for age and racial discrimination, a woman claimed that Zillow fired her for abandoning her job, but she didn’t attend her post because she was in the hospital. Numerous African-American workers filed a third complaint against the company that accused managers of calling them the “NAACP black coalition.” They also claimed that they were moved to the rear of the sales area. A fourth lawsuit against Zillow claimed that the company retaliated against a male employee after he reported that co-workers were running a credit card fraud scheme.

Workers who believe that they have been discriminated against or sexually harassed on the job should follow the procedures set forth in their company manual. If the matter goes unaddressed, they may seek guidance from employment law attorneys.

Source: HousingWire, “​Zillow settles sexual harassment lawsuit,” Jacob Gaffney, June 3, 2016

Source: OC Register, “Zillow settles lawsuits stemming from Irvine abuse claims,” Marilyn Kalfus, June 2, 2016