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Former Google Sales Director Files Employment Discrimination Lawsuit

Posted on: Tuesday, 26 July 2005, 00:00 CDT

Jul. 26--In late 2003, after three years as a high-level saleswoman, Christina Elwell says she had so impressed her bosses at Internet search giant Google Inc. that she was promoted to national sales director. She was even singled out at a meeting of Google's sales force as contributing to the company's ability to file for an initial public offering.

But all that changed, according to a lawsuit filed against the company in federal court in Manhattan last week, after Elwell told her boss several months later she was pregnant with quadruplets and experiencing medical complications.

Over the next year, according to her suit, Elwell, 35, of Manhattan, would see her position deleted from a Google organizational chart, a promised lesser role rescinded and filled by a man she had hired, and her career derailed by a series of demotions and a firing. The suit says she was branded a human resources "nightmare" by her boss, Timothy Armstrong, Google's vice president of national sales, who is also named as a defendant in the suit.

She also lost three of her unborn children

Her suit, which seeks unspecified damages, charges the company and Armstrong with employment discrimination, retaliation, violation of state human rights law and infliction of emotional distress.

Armstrong didn't return a call seeking comment.

In an e-mail yesterday, Google spokesman Steve Langdon said, "The lawsuit against Google and Tim Armstrong is without merit and we will defend vigorously against it."

Elwell and her attorney, Ira Gross, didn't return phone calls yesterday.

An expert said pregnancy- related discrimination suits are on the rise.

"Women are starting to understand their rights with regard to pregnancy discrimination," said attorney Jason Abelove, an employment law expert in Garden City.

In her suit, Elwell said she first told Armstrong about her pregnancy in April 2004. A month later, Elwell lost two of her unborn children. Later that month, the suit claims, Armstrong showed Elwell the organization chart from which her position had been deleted, and told her he wanted to transfer her to a post in operations, a "significant demotion."

After allegedly calling Elwell an "HR nightmare" in June 2004, Armstrong fired her over the telephone, the suit says, and sent a memo to employees saying she was "leaving the company."

The suit also claims she never signed or received a promised severance package.

Later in June, while Elwell was "in danger of losing another unborn child," a Google staffer accused her husband of acting "under false pretenses," by saying his wife was undergoing a "health crisis," the suit says. On June 29, Elwell lost the third of her unborn children.

After being told by the company she'd been fired "improperly," Elwell agreed to return to work, the suit says.

Still pregnant, she returned to work July 19, 2004, to a project "similar to those given summer interns," the suit says.

On July 21, 2004, on doctor's orders, Elwell asked for and received a disability leave. While on leave, she gave birth to her surviving child and prepared to return to work in January. The company told her she'd have to take a low-level post, the suit says. She refused it, and claims constructive discharge, effectively firing her by making working conditions intolerable.

Google, whose "do no evil" corporate philosophy has been widely publicized, says it works to support women employees. Google has "exceptional support benefits for employees who need to balance work with family, including generous benefits for expectant and new mothers," Langdon said.

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Source: Newsday, Melville, N.Y.

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