Lawsuit alleges Chan Zuckerberg Initiative denied breaks, fired worker for complaining
Company says it complies with all laws, including employment laws
The philanthropic organization founded by Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his pediatrician wife Priscilla Chan has been hit with a lawsuit by a man claiming to be a former contractor denied breaks and overtime then fired for complaining.
Abdi Habad said in his suit that he started at the Palo Alto-based organization as a receptionist in May 2016. He was not given rest periods or uninterrupted 30-minute meal breaks, and did not receive premium pay for overtime worked, he alleged. The organization also “intentionally” failed Priscella Chan and Mark Zuckerberg organization hit with employment lawsuit.
to provide him on paydays with the legally required itemized record of wages earned and hours worked, Habad claimed in the suit filed Wednesday in San Francisco County Superior Court.
Although he was employed by a security company for his work at the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, the latter controlled his “wages, hours or working conditions,” the lawsuit claims.
A Chan Zuckerberg Initiative spokesperson said Friday that the organization complies with all laws, including employ-
ment laws.
“We’ve been made aware today of the lawsuit involving an employee of one of our former vendors — and
are currently reviewing the matter,” the spokesperson said.
The organization says it focuses on biomedical research, science education, affordable housing and criminal justice reform.
When Chan and Zuckerberg founded their initiative
in 2015, Zuckerberg said he and Chan would over their lifetimes give 99 percent of their Facebook shares — worth more than $45 billion at the time — to the organization, according to the New York Times.
Abdi alleged that he was fired Feb. 28 for complaining about the employment issues, and he claimed in the suit that he wasn’t paid owed wages after his termination. He is seeking unspecified damages.