Former TikTok Executive Files Lawsuit Alleging Gender and Age Discrimination

Former TikTok senior executive Katie Puris has filed a lawsuit against the company, alleging discrimination based on her age and gender during her tenure.

Puris, who worked in marketing at TikTok from 2019 until her departure in 2022, claims she faced uneven treatment as a woman, was retaliated against for raising concerns about discriminatory practices, and was eventually forced out of the company. She also accuses TikTok of inadequately addressing her report of sexual harassment at a work event.

According to Puris, TikTok informed her that she was terminated due to “performance reasons.” However, the lawsuit asserts that Puris faced discriminatory treatment, including being subjected to disparaging comments about her age and gender.

This lawsuit is not the first time TikTok has faced allegations of discrimination. Previously, two Black former employees filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, accusing the company of racial discrimination and retaliation against Black workers. While TikTok has stated that it prohibits discrimination, harassment, and retaliation in the workplace, these incidents raise concerns about the company’s workplace culture.

Puris’ complaint details instances where she raised concerns about her team’s workload and her own well-being, only to face further retaliation, such as negative performance reviews and reduction of her team size. She alleges that TikTok preferred to hire younger, less experienced employees, and that senior leaders exhibited bias against older, more experienced workers.

Additionally, Puris recounts an incident of sexual harassment during a work trip, where she was allegedly harassed by an employee of a business partner. Despite reporting the incident, she claims TikTok’s response was delayed and inadequate.

The lawsuit may intensify scrutiny on TikTok, particularly regarding its relationship with its Chinese parent company, ByteDance. Puris alleges that even after changes in leadership amid concerns over Chinese influence, key departments continued to report to ByteDance executives in China.

Puris seeks unspecified financial damages in her lawsuit, which sheds light on the challenges of addressing discrimination in the workplace, particularly in the tech industry.