A former senior level manager at Super Free Games, one of the largest word and trivia game developers in the world, has accused her former employer of firing her, allegedly in retaliation for speaking up against a "boys club" culture she asserted systematically discriminated against female workers at multiple junctures.
Haley Bowman filed suit against SFG on May 11 in San Francisco Superior Court alleging multiple violations of California's Fair and Equal Housing Act (FEHA), Equal Pay Act, multiple counts of failure to prevent gender biased discrimination and alleged failure to engage in the interactive process resulting in wrongful termination in violation of public policy.
According to the complaint, Bowman worked for SFG for nearly six years, initially hired as a marketing project manager in June 2016. Promoted to senior project manager in February 2020 overseeing creative production within the company, she also received a substantial pay increase, eventually working her way to earning $110,000 by 2022. She demonstrated solid work ethic with no formal disciplinary write-ups or action.
While the company boasts on its website to be inclusive, “cultivat[ing] an environment of creativity and mutual respect,” senior management allegedly received ongoing complaints about an allegedly toxic, male-centric environment, including what was described as hostile, intimidating, offensive, oppressive, nepotistic, and abusive, according to the suit.
Bowman contends that complaints were routinely ignored and often met with unwelcome responses. Female team members allegedly were excluded or passed over in the decision making process, given additional responsibilities they were not equitably compensated for, and passed over for promotions in favor of less qualified or inexperienced male counterparts, according to the complaint.
The lawsuit alleges, at the beginning of 2022, a Marketing Department Reduction of Force Review Committee was assembled to address growing concerns of disorganization, poor communication, and workforce flow inefficiency within the company. The committee allegedly concluded Bowman had poor communication issues. As a result, Bowman allegedly was asked to move from marketing to production, and to accept a non-managerial role which included a 26 percent cut in her salary. In a meeting with human resources and project management on Feb. 14, 2022, human resources personnel allegedly told Bowman that she had “irreparable communication issues with the User Acquisition (UA) team," according to the complaint.
Bowman asserts that when she reached out to UA, they informed her of no known issues. Alleging SFG knew she was also two months pregnant, on Feb. 24, 2022, she was terminated allegedly following a rejection of the demotion offer to a non-managerial transition and pay cut, while SFG allegedly cited a reduction in force as the cause.
Bowman is citing violations in her complaint on seven counts, including allegations of gender discrimination in violation of FEHA; violation of the California Equal Pay Act; Pregnancy Discrimination; failure to prevent gender discrimination; wrongful termination; failure to provide reasonable accommodation; and failure to engage in the interactive process.
She is demanding a trial by jury, actual and punitive damages, court costs and legal fees.
Bowman is represented by attorneys Brigitte Mills and Camron Dowlatshahi, of Mills Sadat Dowlat, of Los Angeles.