The U.S. Department of Labor is suing technology giant Oracle America Inc. Complaints against the company, whose headquarters are in California, allege numerous instances of employment discrimination. After a years-long investigation, the DOL filed its complaint of racial discrimination with an administrative judge because the company receives hundreds of millions of dollars as a federal government contractor.
Oracle has been accused of paying its white male employees a larger salary than non-white workers and female employees. Even when seniority and job experience were factored in, it is alleged that the company’s white males made more than other workers with identical job titles. A spokeswoman for the company issued a contradictory statement, claiming that these baseless allegations were politically motivated.
In addition, the complaint alleges that the company favored Asian applicants. Oracle was purportedly much more inclined to hire people of Indian heritage, in particular, for its technical and product development roles, choosing them over Hispanic, black and white job applicants. The company, meanwhile, alleges that its employment decisions were based solely on merit and experience.
The DOL’s investigation into the company’s suspect hiring practices began in 2014. At that time, Oracle allegedly also refused to cooperate by making available relevant data and information in regard to its pay practices. Anyone in California who believes him or herself to have been the target of employment discrimination might benefit from contacting an attorney to discuss legal rights. Salary or hiring discrimination based on gender, race or ethnicity is prohibited and may be grounds for a lawsuit.
Source: reuters.com, “U.S. sues Oracle, alleges salary and hiring discrimination“, Daniel Wiessner, Jan. 18, 2017