With more than 2.6 billion active users, Facebook is easily the world’s largest social media platform. The tech giant has had more than its share of controversies, however. The latest erupted a few days ago when a black Facebook employee filed a racial discrimination complaint against the social networking service.
“We have a black people problem,” said Oscar Veneszee Jr. after filing the complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). A Navy veteran, Veneszee recruits people of color and other veterans to work for the social media platform. He says that despite Facebook’s diversity hiring efforts, it has “failed to create a culture . . . that finds, grows and keeps black people at the company.”
He filed the racial discrimination charge along with two applicants – both recruited by Veneszee – who allege that they were not hired by Facebook because they’re African American. The three said their charges were filed with the EEOC on behalf of “all black Facebook employees and applicants to Facebook.”
Their complaint alleges that Facebook violates federal law by discriminating against black workers and job applicants “in hiring, evaluations, promotions, and pay” and that the company has a “hostile work environment.”
Facebook has in the past been criticized by black employees for its lack of diversity. According to NPR, slightly less than 4 percent of the company’s U.S. staff is black and that less than 3 percent of its senior leadership is African American.
Veneszee says that though he was called a “natural leader” and “powerhouse” by his manager in performance reviews over his three years at Facebook, he has never been promoted. Veneszee claims the lack of promotion has cost him “tens of thousands of dollars” in pay, bonuses and stock options.
He also says his career advancement has been stalled by “racial hostility and hostility at Facebook.”
Help to put an end to racial discrimination by standing up for your rights. The Milwaukee employment law office of Alan C. Olson and Associates fights for victims of workplace racial discrimination.