Judge dismisses some claims in case alleging BlackBerry CEO harassed former staffer

A U.S. tribunal has dismissed 3 claims made by a erstwhile BlackBerry Ltd. worker who alleges nan company’s main executive sexually harassed her and past retaliated against her aft she reported nan behaviour.

U.S. magistrate judge Sallie Kim granted BlackBerry and John Giamatteo’s petition precocious Friday to propulsion retired a declare that they fostered a “hostile” activity situation because nan erstwhile worker grounded to coming grounds that BlackBerry and Giamatteo’s behaviour was pervasive aliases severe.

The judge besides dismissed claims nan erstwhile worker made astir alleged favoritism successful its salary practices and its expertise to promptly rumor wages, saying nan plaintiff grounded to authorities a claim.

While nan judge said nan United States District Court for nan Northern District of California “largely agrees” pinch BlackBerry, she said it would let nan plaintiff to amend her title to supply further specifications supporting her allegations against Giamatteo and nan Waterloo, Ont.-based tech company.

BlackBerry spokesperson Anthony Harrison says nan institution was pleased to spot nan court’s ruling and looks guardant to “vigorously defending” itself against nan remainder of nan plaintiff’s claims, which he says are “unfounded.”

Spokespeople and lawyers for nan plaintiff did not instantly respond to a petition for comment.

The plaintiff, known successful tribunal documents arsenic Jane Doe, is simply a female of colour who worked astatine BlackBerry for much than 10 years.

She revenge a declare against nan institution and Giamatteo successful April, alleging nan main executive had “tried to get adjacent to her” and “woo” her, aft he became nan president of BlackBerry’s cybersecurity business successful October 2021.

Shortly aft landing that role, she alleges Giamatteo suggested nan brace recreation together and astatine a meal she understood to beryllium a business meeting, allegedly told her stories astir really he dresses up erstwhile he’s retired pinch his daughters truthful group correction him for “a soiled aged man” retired connected a day pinch them.

Once nan plaintiff reported nan behaviour, she recovered she was excluded from meetings and heard Giamatteo had started telling unit he wanted to get her “out.”

The institution attempted to reside her title by creating much separation betwixt Giamatteo and nan plaintiff’s roles, but erstwhile John Chen near nan main executive domiciled and Giamatteo was being considered arsenic his replacement, she said she reported his behaviour again.

Later, she said she was told she was being terminated effective instantly arsenic portion of a “restructuring.”

Trending Now

Giamatteo and BlackBerry person fought her claims, saying she mislaid her occupation not because she reported harassment, but because she was portion of a layoff that culled much than 200 unit from nan patient arsenic it was separating its cybersecurity and net of things businesses.

Previous filings nan institution and Giamatteo made opportunity nan plaintiff’s position fresh into neither conception of nan business and they felt she “alienated virtually each of her peers done years of rude and divisive conduct.”

When nan plaintiff first revenge her claims, she told The Canadian Press she was pursuing ineligible action because she felt if she was “silenced,” it wouldn’t thief different women.

“I consciousness for illustration I person a responsibility, peculiarly having been astatine nan executive level, to thief different women, whether that is different women successful BlackBerry aliases successful nan manufacture aliases broader than that,” she said successful April.

“I americium hoping that if they tin perceive my story, that will thief springiness them strength.”