Former Google data center says male supervisor sexually harassed him, sues

SAN FRANCISCO -- An Oregon data center technician has sued Google for discrimination and retaliation, alleging he was fired after reporting inappropriate conduct including a male supervisor unzipping his pants when the two were alone in a conference room.

Britt Storkson, 63, says he was a Google employee at the Internet giant's data center in The Dalles for four years and was subjected to a hostile work environment where co-workers discussed oral sex and one pulled out a sex toy. His lawsuit, filed this week in Multnomah County Circuit Court, is seeking $400,000 in damages.

Google says it conducted a "thorough and extensive review" and determined Storkson's allegations were "baseless."

"We have strong policies against discrimination, harassment and retaliation in the workplace and review every complaint we receive," the Mountain View, California company said in a statement. "We take action when we find violations -- including termination of employment."

In the lawsuit, Storkson says he started getting negative performance reviews when a new supervisor began sexually harassing him. He complained in April and requested an independent investigation in a formal letter drafted by an attorney, Paul Meadowbrook, which Storkson sent to USA TODAY in June.

The letter detailed Storkson's encounter with his supervisor, whom he identified as a homosexual male, unzipping his trousers while looking at Storkson in the face. "This was grooming behavior," the letter alleged, "to see if his subordinate might be sexually open to him."

Other workplace behavior alleged by Storkson includes a co-worker who "brandished" a sex toy in Storkson's presence that he was told was being delivering to a manager. Storkson claims his supervisor discussed "homosexual activity" during an upcoming hunting and camping trip. When someone remarked he didn't understand how homosexuals "did that," Storkson says his supervisor responded: "I'll show you how it's done."

Storkson was fired in June. His attorney, Michael Fuller, says Google should have conducted an independent investigation of his client's claims.

In an interview, Storkson said he filed the lawsuit to ensure other people aren't subjected to harassment. He says he'd like to be reinstated at the Google data center near Portland, Oregon which employs about 100 people.

"Maybe all this harassment is happening to other people, not just to me. You never know because people are afraid to report it for fear of being disciplined or worse," Storkson said. "I'd like my job back. I liked what I did and where I worked."

Fuller says Storkson would drop the lawsuit if Google hired him back.