A U.S. District Judge has rejected Meta’s attempt to dismiss a significant lawsuit filed by former employee Kelly Stonelake.
Judge Barbara Rothstein has determined that several aspects of Stonelake’s claims are valid, allowing the case to proceed.
Stonelake expressed hope that this ruling will inspire others who have faced discrimination and toxic work environments to seek justice through the legal system.
Having been with Meta from 2009 until her layoff in early 2024, Stonelake filed a lawsuit in Washington state earlier this year, accusing Meta of sexual harassment, gender discrimination, and retaliation. Meta then moved the case to federal court, arguing that her claims lacked legal merit.
While Meta has chosen not to comment on the lawsuit or the judge’s ruling, the implications of this case are significant.
In her complaint, Stonelake alleges that Meta failed to act on her reports of sexual assault and harassment, frequently overlooked her for promotions in favor of male colleagues, and retaliated against her for raising concerns about a video game she deemed harmful to minors. She claims the toxic work environment negatively impacted her mental health, requiring medical treatment.
In a statement earlier this year, Stonelake indicated that her goal in filing the lawsuit was to hold Meta accountable for what she believes is a larger pattern of abuse within the company.
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Stonelake remarked, “Meta has the capacity to cause harm on a scale only technology companies can.”
At this time, Meta has refrained from commenting on the ongoing litigation.
In their motion to dismiss, Meta contended that Stonelake “fails to and cannot allege any viable claims against Meta,” asserting that her allegations of harassment and discrimination were beyond the statute of limitations under the Washington Law Against Discrimination (WLAD).
However, the judge has partially dismissed these arguments.
In documents filed on August 21, it was stated that several of Stonelake’s claims regarding retaliation, failure to promote, and sexual harassment were adequate to proceed. However, other claims related to sexual harassment, retaliation, and wrongful discharge were dismissed. Stonelake’s request to amend her complaint was also denied.
Moving forward, Stonelake and Meta are expected to submit a joint status report by mid-September.
Stonelake’s allegations add to a growing list of high-profile claims against Meta.
Shortly after Stonelake’s lawsuit, Sarah Wynn-Williams, a former public policy lead at Facebook, published her memoir “Careless People,” detailing her experiences of sexual harassment and retaliation. Meta has denied these allegations, and a judge has ruled that Wynn-Williams is currently prohibited from promoting her book due to violations of her non-disclosure agreement.
