A Google engineer’s now-viral manifesto criticizing the company’s diversity efforts, which in part argues women may not be biologically suited for the technology industry and leadership roles, has renewed discussion about disparities among men and women in Silicon Valley—and prompted new legal claims.
The engineer James Damore’s termination following the publication of his 10-page memo “Google’s Ideological Echo Chamber” raises questions, not just about content, but about whether his controversial views should be protected under both federal labor laws and civil rights laws. Damore has indicated in media reports that he is pursuing all legal remedies following his termination and has said he filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board.
