A judge has denied Meta’s request to dismiss a lawsuit brought against it by early employee Kelly Stonelake.
U.S. District Judge Barbara Rothstein, who is overseeing the case, ruled this month that parts of Stonelake’s suit had merit, and the case will move forward.
“I hope this ruling encourages others who have experienced discrimination and toxic workplace cultures to consider the courts as one way to push for justice and accountability,” Stonelake said in a statement given to TechCrunch.
Stonelake, who worked at Meta from 2009 until being laid off in early 2024, filed a lawsuit against Meta in Washington state earlier this year, alleging sexual harassment, sex discrimination, and retaliation. Meta moved the lawsuit to federal court and filed to dismiss Stonelake’s suit, saying her claims were legally insufficient.
Meta declined to comment on the lawsuit or the judge’s decision.
In her initial complaint, Stonelake alleges Meta failed to take action after she reported sexual assault and harassment; that she was often passed over for promotion in favor of men; and that she faced retaliation after flagging a video game she perceived as racist and harmful to minors. She said working for Meta under these alleged conditions severely damaged her mental state and left her in medical treatment.
When asked in February why she decided to file her suit, Stonelake said she wanted to drive accountability for what she alleges is a large pattern of abuse at Meta.
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“Meta has the opportunity to do harm on a scale that only tech companies can,” she said.
At the time, Meta declined to comment, citing pending litigation.
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