Judge denies Meta’s request to dismiss sexual harassment lawsuit filed by early employee

A judge has denied Meta’s request to dismiss a lawsuit brought against it by early employee Kelly Stonelake. 

U.S. District Judge Barbara Rothstein, who is overseeing the case, ruled this month that parts of Stonelake’s suit had merit, and the case will move forward. 

“I hope this ruling encourages others who have experienced discrimination and toxic workplace cultures to consider the courts as one way to push for justice and accountability,” Stonelake said in a statement given to TechCrunch.

Stonelake, who worked at Meta from 2009 until being laid off in early 2024, filed a lawsuit against Meta in Washington state earlier this year, alleging sexual harassment, sex discrimination, and retaliation. Meta moved the lawsuit to federal court and filed to dismiss Stonelake’s suit, saying her claims were legally insufficient.

Meta declined to comment on the lawsuit or the judge’s decision.

In her initial complaint, Stonelake alleges Meta failed to take action after she reported sexual assault and harassment; that she was often passed over for promotion in favor of men; and that she faced retaliation after flagging a video game she perceived as racist and harmful to minors. She said working for Meta under these alleged conditions severely damaged her mental state and left her in medical treatment. 

When asked in February why she decided to file her suit, Stonelake said she wanted to drive accountability for what she alleges is a large pattern of abuse at Meta. 

“Meta has the opportunity to do harm on a scale that only tech companies can,” she said.

At the time, Meta declined to comment, citing pending litigation.

In its motion to dismiss, Meta said Stonelake “fails to and cannot allege any viable claims against Meta,” and that her claims of harassment, discrimination, and retaliation fell outside the statute of limitations of the Washington Law Against Discrimination (WLAD). 

A judge has partially rejected that argument.

In documents filed August 21, the judge stated that parts of Stonelake’s claims regarding retaliation, failure to promote, and sexual harassment were sufficient to survive. The judge has dismissed other specific claims within the lawsuit that covered other allegations of sexual harassment, retaliation, and wrongful discharge. Stonelake was also denied her request to amend the filing, should she choose.

Stonelake and Meta will now file a joint status report, which is due mid-September.  

Stonelake’s claims are just some of the high-profile allegations Meta has faced as of late.

Shortly after Stonelake filed this suit, Sarah Wynn-Williams (who led public policy for what was then called Facebook) released her memoir “Carless People,” where she alleged sexual harassment by her boss, as well as retaliation after she reported him. Meta denied the allegations in the book, and Wynn-Williams is currently barred from marketing it after a judge sided with Meta in that she had likely broken her non-disclosure agreement in writing it.