I was laid off after spending several months on the bench, with "lack of available projects" cited as the reason. However, another consultant in the same role who was also without an active client engagement was retained. As a woman and racial minority, I could not ignore the disparity in how these decisions appeared to be made.
Before my termination, I reported being recorded without my consent and raised concerns about conduct that I believed reflected implicit bias. I was referred to as "URM" instead of by my name or role, encouraged toward race based employee resource groups rather than meaningful career opportunities, and repeatedly advocated for fair project placement while on the bench. My employment ended shortly after I raised these concerns.
Following my termination, I pursued the matter through the appropriate internal and legal channels. I provided documentation supporting my concerns and gave the company multiple opportunities to investigate and resolve the issues. Rather than meaningfully addressing the evidence or acknowledging the seriousness of the allegations, the company denied wrongdoing, offered what I viewed as a nominal severance, and declined to accept accountability.
Employees deserve confidence that concerns about discrimination and retaliation will be investigated objectively and fairly. My experience left me with the opposite impression.
