Lawsuit Charges Toshiba Violated U.S. Anti-Discrimination Laws, Kept Woman from Top Executive Promotion; Trial Begins Monday, Jan. 10th

Business Wire, Jan 6, 2005

SANTA ANA, Calif. -- Toshiba America Information Systems (TAIS) faces a gender discrimination trial brought by a leading female sales manager, 49-year-old Donna Anastasio. Her lawsuit claims she was intentionally deceived by TAIS over a four-year period and denied a promised promotion to the executive ranks solely because she is a woman. In a November 2004 sworn affidavit, filed with the court by Blumberg Law Corp. on behalf of the plaintiff, the former VP of Human Resources confirmed Anastasio's charges.

"Toshiba lied to my client to keep her valuable customer contacts that generated millions of dollars annually. Although she was highly qualified, they had no intention of promoting a woman, yet continually dangled false promises of advancement in front of her," said Anastasio's attorney John Blumberg of the Blumberg Law Corporation in Long Beach, Calif.

Plaintiff's attorneys will demonstrate TAIS' prolonged and deliberate deception of Anastasio. According to the complaint, Anastasio was an East Coast-based successful computer sales director when TAIS recruited her in 1992 as a regional sales manager. Lured by explicit promises of advancement for achievement, in 1998 she relocated to corporate headquarters in Irvine, CA, and devoted herself to her job as a national field sales vice president. Despite consistently excellent evaluations over the next four years, she was repeatedly passed over for promotion in favor of four men. Even when she tried to resign, TAIS management persuaded her to stay with the false promise that she would be next in line for promotion. It never happened.

Evidence supporting Anastasio's allegations will include testimony by TAIS' former Vice President of Administration and Human Resources, Robert Standish Dunbar III. In his affidavit, Dunbar details that TAIS president, Hisatsugu Nonaka rejected a well-qualified female candidate for a high level position by saying, "Not sure that lady can handle pressure or do big job."

In his sworn affidavit Dunbar revealed that he had long been concerned about the company's lack of female executives, and that this violated affirmative action guidelines for companies awarded U.S. government contracts. His subsequent urgings and alerts for compliance to place women in executive leadership positions were ignored by TAIS executives and specifically by Nonaka. When Dunbar realized that Anastasio's expectations of promotion would not be honored, he recommended that executives level with her but they blatantly rejected his suggestion.

When Anastasio realized she had been deceived, her health deteriorated to the point where she can no longer work. A doctor, chosen by TAIS, placed her on medical disability in 2002, which she remains on today.

Jury selection begins Monday January 10th in Orange County Superior Court, Dept. C10 before Commissioner Jane D. Myers. Plaintiff's attorneys will show that TAIS deliberately deceived the plaintiff, Anastasio, of Irvine, from 1998 to 2002, about her advancement to the boardroom.