Kelly Stonelake, a former Meta employee, filed a lawsuit earlier this year in Washington state against her former employer, alleging sexual harassment, sex discrimination, and retaliation. Meta subsequently moved the case to federal court and sought to dismiss the suit, but a judge has ruled that parts of Stonelake’s claims have merit and will move forward.
Stonelake was employed at Meta from 2009 until early 2024, when she was laid off. Her lawsuit details a series of allegations, including claims that Meta failed to take appropriate action after Stonelake reported incidents of sexual assault and harassment. In addition, she alleges that she was consistently passed over for promotion in favor of male colleagues. Further, Stonelake claims that she faced retaliation after raising concerns about a video game she believed promoted racism and was harmful to minors. Stonelake has stated that these alleged conditions during her employment at Meta caused significant damage to her mental health, requiring her to seek medical treatment.
Following the judge’s ruling, Stonelake issued a statement through TechCrunch, saying, “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 stated in February that she decided to file her suit to drive accountability for what she alleges is a large pattern of abuse at Meta. “Meta has the opportunity to do harm on a scale that only tech companies can,” Stonelake said. Previously, Meta declined to comment on the lawsuit, citing pending litigation.
Meta’s motion to dismiss argued that Stonelake “fails to and cannot allege any viable claims against Meta.” The company also contended that her claims of harassment, discrimination, and retaliation fell outside the statute of limitations as defined by the Washington Law Against Discrimination (WLAD). The judge partially rejected Meta’s argument.
Court documents filed on August 21 revealed that the judge determined parts of Stonelake’s claims pertaining to retaliation, failure to promote, and sexual harassment were sufficient to proceed. However, the judge dismissed other specific claims within the lawsuit, which covered other allegations of sexual harassment, retaliation, and wrongful discharge. Stonelake’s request to amend her initial filing was also denied. Stonelake and Meta are now required to file a joint status report, with a deadline set for mid-September.
Stonelake’s allegations are among several high-profile claims recently leveled against Meta. Shortly after Stonelake initiated her lawsuit, Sarah Wynn-Williams, who previously led public policy for Facebook, published her memoir, “Careless People.” In the book, Wynn-Williams alleges that she was sexually harassed by her supervisor and faced retaliation after reporting the incidents. Meta has denied Wynn-Williams’ allegations. Wynn-Williams is currently restricted from marketing her book, following a judge’s decision that she likely violated a non-disclosure agreement by writing it. Meta declined to comment on the Stonelake lawsuit or the judge’s decision.
