Bloomberg reports that former GM designer Judy Kim has filed a lawsuit against the Detroit automaker in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. Plaintiff Judy Kim claims her firing in April 2023 was based on gender discrimination and retaliation, which would violate Title VII of Michigan law. The lawsuit was filed on Friday, October 25th, and a summons was issued for General Motors the following Monday.
The lawsuit claims Kim was fired after she complained about harassment from a co-worker and faced retaliation from co-workers acquainted with the harasser. The alleged retaliation took the forms of exclusion from meetings, being waitlisted for a transfer to GM’s California design studio, and “dirty looks.”
The official reason given for her firing was submitting a design too similar to a competitor’s. Kim claims no disciplinary action was taken prior to her firing, and other GM designers had committed similar acts without facing “significant discipline.”
Kim seeks damages for attorney fees, emotional distress, and lost income, benefits, and career opportunities.
In other recent General Motors legal news, the Detroit automaker was ordered to face a class action lawsuit over defective paint on large SUVs in July, and a federal appeals court ordered GM to face a class action suit regarding faulty 8-speed transmissions in August.
GM is also involved in a couple of lawsuits that are nearing settlement. One involves fuel pumps on the 6.6L V8 LML turbodiesel Duramax engines powering Chevy Silverado HD and GMC Sierra HD models from the 2011-2016 model years. Another involves defective battery modules in certain Chevy Bolt EV models from 2017-2022, which will see some people receive between $700 and $2,000 each.
Comments
I wish I had a dollar for every dirty look I’ve gotten in my life.
A pattern of ‘dirty looks’ can be harassment under the law. Your experience may vary.
I wipe my @** with any dirty look a person gives me. Let them keep giving them.
Wish I was omitted from half the meeting I have to attend.
I work in construction on the engineering side and I could not agree more.
huh im 88 years old and gave the us Marines eight years of my life and time and just this past Saturday i was setting along a city street leagaly parked waiting for my cousin to take her to the super market and some nosy neighbor called the police and more or less said i had to move .isn.t that something and i have lived here for 55 years .
People just need to “Get over themselves” … Everyone seems to think that they are too important these days. Folks – you are NOT that important except to maybe your family !!!
And quit sticking your nose into everybody else’s business … Life your life and worry about how you are going to survive the next few years. Pray hard and Live Clean !!!!!
“Seinfeld” character George Costanza once famously described a professional as a
“delicate genius”. We all know a few.
Bottom line is that she was not a valuable employee. If she was they would’ve kept her…..nobody wants to take responsibility for their shortcomings. It’s easy to find a two-bit lawyer that’s willing to take your money to file a worthless lawsuit.
Reason being a female.
Someone wanna inform this lady that the CEO of the company she is trying to sue based on gender discrimination is a female? Unless she is declaring herself a gender outside of the typical two.
Move on lady.
So she was let go for being bad at her job and is now trying to play the gender card.
More than 100 Industrial designers and stylists at the Warren design office would love for an opportunity to work at the Design Center in CA. If KIM was worthy of the offer from CA. office, KIM would know about it. It’s not up to KIM to decide, It is up to CA. office. As it is now with her new notoriety. Kim will be lucky to find employment anywhere. Warren Design Center is where the work is done, If you want recognition. That is the place to get it. Kim has Spoiled Brat, Baby Girl Syndrome.