GitHub Founder Resigns After Sexual Harassment Investigation

After sexual harassment and gender discrimination accusations surfaced last month at his company, GitHub co-founder and chief executive Tom Preston-Warner has resigned. However, the investigation found the company innocent of any illegal practices.

Software designer and developer Julie Ann Horvath publically resigned from GitHub last month. She claims to have endured systematic sexism and gender inequality since she joined the startup in 2012. She says she was bullied by the Preston-Warner’s wife. Horvath alleges she was treated differently for being a woman, instead being judged on her work performance.

“The investigation found no evidence to support the claims against Tom and his wife of sexual or gender-based harassment or retaliation, or of a sexist or hostile work environment,” Chris Wanstrath, GitHub’s chief executive and a co-founder, wrote in a blog post. “However, while there may have been no legal wrongdoing, the investigator did find evidence of mistakes and errors of judgment.”

Horvath described the general atmosphere as an “Old Boys’ Club.” She said her personal character was being discussed in inappropriate situations and she was subjected to an aggressive atmosphere that favored men.

Gender discrimination and your company

Under the law, you cannot be treated differently in the workplace because of your sex or gender. You cannot be paid unequally, denied work benefits such as a raise or promotion and you cannot be fired because you are a woman or a man.

However, even though certain workplace behavior might be unseemly, it may not be enough to constitute a lawsuit.

The Derek Smith Law Group, PLLC handles a multitude of cases that involve sexual harassment in New York City. For further information, please feel free to call us at 212-587-0760 or toll-free at 1-877-4NYLAWS or email at dtslaws@msn.com.