Executive Claims She Was Fired for 'Acting Like a Man', Seeks Millions in Damages
Named as one of Business Insider‘s “Most Powerful Women In Mobile Advertising” in 2014, Alexis Berger is no stranger to being mentioned in the media. However, the 32-year-old Chicago executive is making the news this time for filing a lawsuit against her previous employer for wrongful termination. And she wants her previous employer to pay up $41 million.
Berger has an impressive resume that can easily intimidate anyone. She was hired by mobile publisher platform Kargo in November 2013 and, until her firing last year, helped make the company over $135 million a year in revenue. Court papers showed she filled for discrimination and wrongful termination against Kargo.
Arbitrator Billie Colombaro found that Berger was being targeted by the company with vague complaints about the way she acted, yet there are several male employees who received no form of discipline for exuberant traits that Berger did as well, and in some cases far worse.
As reported in the New York Post, the abitrator pointed out “one male executive who sparked sexual discrimination complaints and another so ‘hotheaded’ that his temper impacted the workplace.”
“They criticized behavior from her that they would accept from a man to run her out of the company. It is clear from Kargo’s actions and collective attitude that a woman is not permitted to act like a man,” Colombaro wrote.
Berger also believes she was fired so other executives could take her $9 million stake in the mobile-branding firm.
In a recent Linked In recommendation a current coworker describes Berger as a, “remarkable leader, exceeding expectations by empowering and motivating her team.” The coworker added, “Alexis’ contagious enthusiasm coupled with strong thought leadership makes it easy to want to work with and for her. I feel incredibly lucky to have worked with and learned from Alexis.”
Berger will have to wait until a Manhattan Judge rules if, in fact, she was discriminated against and wrongfully terminated and deserves the $41 million.
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