The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is investigating allegations of racial bias and hiring practices at Facebook. The agency is designating the probe as “systemic,” according to Reuters.

 

Black Facebook employee, Oscar Veneszee, Jr., had filed a complaint with the EEOC in July 2020. Veneszee filed the complaints alongside two people he recruited but Facebook did not hire.

 

In the complaint, they allege that Facebook discriminates against Black job applicants and employees and promotes racial stereotypes.

 

Veneszee said to NPR that Facebook has “a Black people problem,” and social media has failed to create a culture to attract and retain Black workers.

 

The EEOC has however not charged with anything yet. This is because its investigations may not result in finding any wrongdoing on Facebook’s part.

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It’s however designating the probe as “systemic”, suggesting that it suspects that Facebook’s hiring policies are contributing to widespread discrimination.

 

The designation could mean a possible class-action lawsuit if it finds any wrongdoing according to Reuters. Facebook spokesman Andy Stone declined to comment on the status of the probe or specific allegations. Stone however said that; “it is essential to provide all employees with a respectful and safe working environment. We take any allegations of discrimination seriously and investigate every case,” he said.

 

Facebook said about 3.9% of its U.S. employees as of June 2020 were Black and if there’s a systemic hiring bias then, it probably could have been more.

 

 

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