Contrary to the commonly held belief in India that women cannot commit acts of rape or sexual exploitation against men, a former employee of Google has made allegations that challenge this notion. The individual, a male, claims that he was terminated by the tech company after rejecting the sexual advances of a female superior during a company dinner. This case raises important questions regarding gender-based discrimination in the workplace and challenges the notion that only men can be perpetrators of sexual misconduct.
Overview of the Incident
Ryan Olohan, a 48-year-old former employee of Google, has filed a federal lawsuit in Manhattan alleging that he was terminated by the company after being subjected to sexual harassment by Tiffany Miller, a top executive at Google. The incident in question took place at a Chelsea restaurant in December 2019, where Miller, who serves as the director of Google’s programmatic media, allegedly rubbed Olohan’s abdominal muscles, complimented his physique, and made comments about her marriage lacking “spice”. This lawsuit raises important questions about the responsibility of companies to protect their employees from harassment in the workplace.
According to the lawsuit, the alleged sexual harassment incident occurred during a company gathering at Fig & Olive restaurant in Manhattan, shortly after Ryan Olohan was promoted to managing director and joined a new management team that included Tiffany Miller. The gathering was reportedly a drunken event.
Olohan, who is a married father of seven, initially felt uncomfortable reporting the incident due to the drunken state of many of his colleagues. However, his coworkers reportedly dismissed Miller’s behavior as simply being her personality, according to court documents.
Despite reporting the incident to Google’s human resources department the following week, no action was taken in response to Olohan’s complaint.
According to his lawsuit:
The HR openly admitted that if the complaint was ‘in reverse’ — a female accusing a white male of harassment — the complaint would certainly be escalated.
Olohan alleges that Miller retaliated against him after he made the complaint to human resources by criticizing him and making false reports of “microaggressions” against him. The specific details of these accusations are not specified in the complaint.
The retaliation allegedly escalated at a Google-hosted event in December 2021, where Miller drunkenly scolded Olohan in front of his colleagues. The situation was reportedly so hostile that Olohan’s colleagues encouraged Miller to move to a different part of the table, according to the lawsuit.
Additional Allegations in the Lawsuit Include:
Miller later apologized and although Google was aware that Miller’s continued harassment of Olohan stemmed from his rejection of her sexual advances, it again took no action.
Additionally, the legal complaint also states:
Miller drunkenly berated Olohan yet again during a company get-together at a karaoke bar in April 2022, where she mocked him upon arrival and reiterated that she knew he preferred Asian women over white women — knowing that Olohan’s wife is Asian.
Olohan said he began feeling increasing pressure from his supervisor, who told him that there were “obviously too many white guys” on his management team. In July last year, he was encouraged to fire a male employee to make room on his team for a woman, the suit claims.
The following month, Google fired Olohan, ending his employment after 16-years at the company.
According to the lawsuit, during a videoconference call, Olohan was informed by the Google Employee Investigations team that he was being terminated for lacking “inclusiveness.” When he asked for clarification, he was told that he showed favoritism towards high-performing employees and that his comment about other employees’ “walking pace” was considered “ableist.”
The lawsuit, which seeks damages, names both Google and Tiffany Miller as defendants and alleges discrimination, retaliation, and creation of a hostile work environment. The exact amount of damages sought is not specified.
In a statement to The Post, a representative for Miller denied the allegations against her client, stating:
This lawsuit is a fictional account of events filled with numerous falsehoods, fabricated by a disgruntled ex-employee, who was senior to Ms. Miller at Google.
Ms. Miller never made any ‘advance’ toward Mr. Olohan, which witnesses can readily corroborate.
Our View on the Matter:
Globally, the #BelieveAllWomen campaign, led by feminists, aims to ensure that men are held accountable based solely on their oral statements and testimony.
This case presents a reversal of gender roles and the ultimate outcome will not only reveal the truth, but also establish the process for filing cases after a delay from the time of the alleged incidents.
The allegations raise questions about Google’s commitment to gender equality and impartiality in the workplace. If the charges are proven to be true, the company, which claims to be a woman-friendly organization, may be held responsible for gender bias against men. The absence of a thorough internal committee investigation into the accused female raises questions about the efficacy of the complaint process and HR’s response. On the other hand, if the charges are found to be false, it is important to determine if there was any written communication from HR indicating such.
Why was the accused female employee not asked to temporarily step down from her role during the investigation process?
As per a 2019 survey conducted by Google to assess compensation disparities based on gender and minority status, it was found that male employees were being paid less than their female counterparts for performing similar job duties, which was unexpected to many.
In the pursuit of presenting a pro-women image, is there a possibility of unjust treatment towards men in the workplace?