In light of the innapropriate relationships scandals at Bp and Bpx:
With all the wrongful promotions, firings, layoffs, ect. will anyone be suing for discrimination?
8 replies (most recent on top)
It’s not just by gender
We had a post a couple of years ago by bp touting that we now have more women in leadership than men. I'd say that is a nice bit of proof if you want to start there.
Discrimination based on gender is a decent legal case. I'm a lawyer by the way. Given all the recent scandals involving women and male leaders I'd say the men and women both have very strong cases.
In some jurisdictions it is absolutely illegal to promote someone based on gender or race, regardless of what their gender or race is. bp is a global company. Use your critical thinking.
Agreed - what BL did is certainly unethical. My point below was just that all these people eager to sue bp over unfair promotions have no case. It’s the women who were abused who do.
@1iza+1tBFG63D it may not be illegal, but it was certainly against BP's internal company rules. The excuse they gave after the defenestration of BL that promotions are not the decision of one individual doesn't wash. If BL exerted his authority, his latest inamorata would get the job. It looks like KD must have deferred to him. In both investigations, the whistleblowers may have been people who felt that they had been wrongfully overlooked in favour of a BL 'squeeze'. You are right about abuse of power, because female employees may feel they can't turn down the CEO in case there are adverse consequences.
Already sent the pictures to corporate
It’s not illegal to promote someone because you’ve slept with them. You can promote someone for any reason - maybe it’s bad for business, but that doesn’t make it illegal. What IS illegal is an employer taking advantage of an employee. If a superior makes a move on a subordinate, it is hard to give real consent and that becomes an abuse of power that could be legally pursued.
It would be nice to see someone trying to sue. But the problem is providing evidence. You may know there is no doubt that someone got a post or promotion on the basis of a characteristic, but it's providing proof that will stand up in a court or tribunal that's the challenge. Look at how BP took no action regarding the women who were promoted by BL as payment in kind for services rendered.