Uber Technologies Inc’s Chief People Officer Liane Hornsey resigned in an email to staff on Tuesday following an investigation into how she handled allegations of racial discrimination at the popular ride-hailing company.
The resignation comes after Reuters contacted Uber on Monday about the previously unreported investigation into accusations from anonymous whistleblowers that Hornsey had systematically dismissed internal complaints of racial discrimination.
She gave no reason for her resignation and has not responded to requests for comment about the investigation.
The allegations against her and Uber’s human resources department more broadly were made by an anonymous group that claims to be Uber employees of color, members of the group told reporters.
They alleged Hornsey had used discriminatory language and made derogatory comments about Uber Global Head of Diversity and Inclusion Bernard Coleman and had denigrated and threatened former Uber executive Bozoma Saint John, who left the company in June.
Uber in March agreed to pay $10 million to settle a proposed class-action lawsuit alleging discrimination against more than 400 women and minorities brought by three women engineers. One of the women removed herself from the class-action and sued the company in May alleging discrimination based on gender and race.
The employees behind the latest allegations said complaints filed to Uber’s anonymous tip line often were left unresolved or were dismissed, especially if they dealt with issues of race.
Hornsey was head of Uber’s human resources department and one of the firm’s top spokespeople on diversity and discrimination issues. She had been in the role for about 18 months, as the company was rocked by claims of widespread issues of gender discrimination and sexual harassment.
