Ex TikTok Executive Claims She Was Fired After Reporting Harassment

A former senior marketing executive at TikTok, Katie Puris, filed a lawsuit against the social media giant and its parent company ByteDance. Puris alleges she was wrongfully terminated in September 2022, months after reporting an incident of sexual harassment and raising concerns about age and disability discrimination.

Puris also alleged that she had not been granted leave to address her health conditions triggered by the stress and pressure of the job in TikTok and revealed some sexist remarks made by Zhang Lidong, chairman of ByteDance over the company's "preference" for its female employees. Puris has now sued the company alleging her firing was illegal, exploitation of her as an employee and exploitation of her rights. 

Ex TikTok Executive Claim Firing After Reporting Sexual Harassment

According to the lawsuit filed in Manhattan federal court, Puris, who joined TikTok in 2019, faced a hostile work environment marked hovered by discriminatory remarks and behaviour. This included an alleged incident of sexual harassment at an industry event in June 2022, which Puris promptly reported to supervisors and Human Resources. Despite her complaint, she claims the company failed to take adequate action, leaving her feeling unsafe and unsupported.

The lawsuit further details that Puris experienced age-related discrimination, with derogatory comments targeting her experience and capabilities. Additionally, she alleges facing discrimination based on a perceived disability.

Just three months after raising these concerns, Puris was let go, allegedly under the pretence of performance-related issues. However, the lawsuit asserts that this justification is a pretext for retaliation against her complaints.

Harassment At Workplace

Puris acknowledges getting fired was the culmination of a series of incidents of discrimination over age, bias, and a case of reporting sexual harassment at the company. 

Puris was nearly 50 when she was fired from the company despite her commendable previous work experience working with mega social platforms and various other companies such as Meta's Facebook, Alphabet's Google, and many major advertising agencies. 

Puris also revealed that the chairman of ByteDance, Zhang Lidong, had some beliefs and opinions on women about how "women should remain quiet and humble at all times" and preferred "docility and meekness" in the company's female employees. The marketing executive also claimed the company did not grant her leave to address her medical conditions caused by work pressure during the job in TikTok. 

Legal Team's Statement

Puris' lawyers Monica Hincken and Marjorie Mesidor issued a joint statement that said Puris had faced a swift retaliation from the company despite being "enormously successful" at her job and claimed the company's actions against their client are illegal and they will be working to vindicate the rights of Puris. 

Puris is seeking financial compensation and reinstatement to her position, along with punitive damages. Her lawyers assert that TikTok violated federal, state, and city laws prohibiting workplace discrimination and retaliation.

This case has triggered discussions about corporate culture, the handling of sensitive employee complaints, and the prevalence of discrimination in the tech industry. The legal battle is ongoing, and the court will ultimately determine the validity of the claims.