Crypto company investigates sexual harassment claims against founderA&T Capital, a cryptocurrency investment fund backed by Alipay, has announced that it will launch an independent investigation into sexual harassment allegations made against one of its founding partners.
The accusations were made by two women, including a former intern at the company, who claim that they were raped and sexually harassed by the founder.
In a statement released on social media, A&T Capital said that it had a zero-tolerance policy towards any unethical or illegal conduct, and that it would cooperate fully with the investigation of relevant units.
The company added that it would wait for the fair judgment of the judicial process, and that the founder accused of harassment would no longer be involved in any affairs of A&T Capital or represent the fund.
Crypto company establishes independent investigation team
A&T Capital has also announced that it will establish an independent investigation team led by founding partner Jasmine.
The team will conduct a comprehensive investigation into the whole process of the matter and will announce the results of the investigation to all employees. If there is a violation of workplace ethics, it will be dealt with seriously.
The move by A&T Capital comes amid increasing scrutiny of sexual harassment and assault in the workplace, and as a new US law comes into effect that prohibits employers from requiring workers to arbitrate sexual harassment disputes.
The law allows entire lawsuits against businesses to proceed in court, not only harassment claims.
A federal judge in Manhattan has ruled that the law bars plaintiff Teyo Johnson’s harassment claims from being sent to arbitration, but also his separate claims of race bias, retaliation, and pay discrimination.
The ruling is one of the first of its kind since the federal law took effect last March. Business groups say arbitration is faster and more efficient than court, but critics of mandatory arbitration claim the process favors employers.
In his complaint, Johnson, a Black former NFL player, said that he was subjected to sexually-charged and racist comments and ultimately fired for questioning the legality of a cryptocurrency scheme.
The law banning mandatory arbitration of sexual harassment claims had bipartisan support and is one of the most significant legislative developments to come out of the #MeToo movement.
Precedent-setting decision paves the way for a more just workplace
Shane Seppinni, who represents both plaintiffs, said that the precedent-setting decision “paved the way for a more just workplace.”
However, in a separate case, Engelmayer dismissed a former Everyrealm human resource worker’s claim that she also faced sexual harassment working for the company, saying that she had not provided enough facts to back up the claim.
The move by A&T Capital to launch an independent investigation into sexual harassment allegations against one of its founding partners is a significant development in the crypto industry.
It highlights the importance of creating a safe and respectful workplace environment for all employees and reflects the growing demand for greater accountability and transparency in the industry.
It remains to be seen what the outcome of the investigation will be, but A&T Capital’s commitment to addressing the issue sends a strong message to the industry and beyond.
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