Lawsuit filed in U.S. district court Wednesday, allegations have not been proven
A former BlackBerry Ltd. employee has filed a lawsuit against the company and its new chief executive John Giamatteo, who she claims sexually harassed her and then retaliated against her after she reported the behaviour.
The complainant, a California-based woman of colour who worked for the Waterloo, Ont.-based tech company for more than a decade, including in several senior roles, alleges members of the firm’s leadership ranks were aware of her complaints when Giamatteo was named chief executive in December.
The lawsuit was filed in a U.S. district court on Wednesday hours before the tech firm reported its fourth-quarter results.
The complainant, known as Jane Doe in court documents, alleges her treatment at BlackBerry violated both the U.S. labour code and the California Fair Employment and Housing Act and resulted in her wrongful termination.
No charges have been laid and the allegations have not been proven in court. An answer to the complaint has not been filed.
Company says allegations are ‘without merit’
“BlackBerry and Mr. Giamatteo believe that these allegations are without merit and intend to vigorously defend against them,” BlackBerry said in a statement.
“BlackBerry is committed to maintaining a respectful and productive work environment free from discrimination and harassment. To this end, we do not tolerate, condone, or ignore workplace discrimination or harassment or any unlawful behaviour.
We conducted an extensive investigation, which found no evidence of wrongdoing or violations of the company code of conduct, and we are confident that the robustness of our process and its findings will be made evident in court.”
A law firm named as representing Giamatteo in the court documents did not immediately respond to a request for comment on his behalf.
