Chan Zuckerberg Initiative slapped with a racial discrimination lawsuit

In the lawsuit, Holgado has claimed that Black employees are underpaid and undervalued at CZI and that the employees who want to advance within the organisation are often labeled as aggressive.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan. (AP)

Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan's Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) has been slapped with a racial discrimination lawsuit by a former employee.

Claimant Raymond Holgado, who worked with CZI between 2018 and 2020, filed his lawsuit with the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing on November 9. In the lawsuit, Holgado has claimed that Black employees are underpaid and undervalued at CZI and that the employees who want to advance within the organisation are often labeled as aggressive.

“Despite its social justice rhetoric, CZI is not a welcoming environment for Black employees. Black employees are underpaid, undervalued, denied growth opportunities, and marginalized. Black employees who want to advance within the organization are shut down and labeled as too assertive or aggressive, while non-Black employees are favored and encouraged,” Holgado wrote in his lawsuit.

The former CZI employee cited an incident wherein he was not allowed to negotiate his salary. However, when he joined the organisation, he discovered that non-Black employees had successfully negotiated a higher salary and starting level.

“When Holgado received the job offer from a recruiter, Holgado asked if there was room for negotiation regarding the starting salary. Holgado was told he would not be able to negotiate the salary because a “level” system was in place that ensured pay equity across the organization and across comparable roles...However, after joining CZI, Holgado discovered that non-Black employees had successfully negotiated a higher salary and starting level,” he added in his complaint.

Furthermore, Holgado claims that he met Chan last year wherein he told her that while CZI had “retained Black talent but failed to empower Black employees or integrate their perspectives into the work.” Chan responded to the matter saying, “DEI [diversity, equity and inclusion] may look different for each of us.”

CZI, on the other hand, disputed the claims. “While we take any allegation of discrimination seriously and will do so here, this former employee's specific allegations were previously raised internally, independently investigated, and found to be unsubstantiated...The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative is committed to fair treatment, access, and advancement for all members of the team. We do not tolerate discrimination of any kind, full stop,” the company said in a statement to The Verge.