Who would have sex island video adguessed that a company under investigation for chronic sexual harassment would have distributed guidelines for sex between employees before a party in Miami?
According to a report in Recode, Uber CEO Travis Kalanick sent an email outlining those rules before Uber celebrated launching in its 50th city in 2013. In a note reportedly known as the "Miami letter," Kalanick told Uber's employees not to get arrested, use drugs, or throw up at the corporate party. He did tell them to "have a great fucking time."
In what Recode noted was a very unusual letter for a CEO to send to his staff, Kalanick devoted a paragraph to specific rules surrounding sex between employees.
4) Do not have sex with another employee UNLESS a) you have asked that person for that privilege and they have responded with an emphatic "YES! I will have sex with you" AND b) the two (or more) of you do not work in the same chain of command. Yes, that means that Travis will be celibate on this trip. #CEOLife #FML
To meet a very low bar, at least the technical rules themselves emphasize the importance of consent. But the fact that they were sent at all and the way they are presented, by Kalanick himself, support the conclusion that Uber suffers from a bro-y, hostile culture where women are, at best, uncomfortable and at worst, sexually harassed. Not to mention Kalanick's #CEOLife complaints.
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And an Uber executive resigned earlier this year after complaints about "inappropriate sexual behavior" at, yep, this very party.
If Kalanick's judgment wasn't already in question enough, he was really proud of this letter and "spoke about it often," according to Recode,even though others at Uber questioned this particular approach and later took a more professional tone.
The party that inspired Kalanick to email all of his employees about how to go about having sex had a name: a Chinese symbol for the number nine, which represented Uber's goal to reach a billion-dollar run rate. One billion is 10 to the 9th power. #SMH.
The letter is the latest piece of bad news for Uber this week. The company fired more than 20 employees as a result of its internal investigation into sexual harassment. On Wednesday, Uber fired an executive who stole the medical documents of a customer who was raped during an Uber ride in India. Kalanick reportedly questioned the woman's report and claimed that she could have made it up as part of a plot by Uber's rival in India, Ola.
Uber's public sexual harassment problems started in February after engineer Susan Fowler blew the whistle on the harassment she said she experienced while working for the company. The results of a separate investigation into harassment at Uber by former Attorney General Eric Holder are expected to be released next Tuesday.
Uber didn't immediately respond to request for comment and confirmation of the Miami letter.
#FML.
Read the full letter below:
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Travis Kalanick
Date: Friday, October 25, 2013
Subject: 九 Info: URGENT, URGENT - READ THIS NOW OR ELSE!!!!!
To: Uber Team
Hey guys, I wanted to get some important information out there. I've put together a Q&A that we can use when other folks ask what we're doing here, and have some DOs and DON'Ts for our time here in Miami.
You better read this or I'll kick your ass.
__________________________________________
Q&A - If I've missed anything, or you just have a random question, please reply to all on this thread!
Q: What is Uber doing here?
A: Uber has recently rolled out to its 50th global city. We are celebrating this company milestone and others and have organized a local grassroots movement to help bring Uber to Miami. #MiamiNeedsUber
Q: What does the Chinese symbol 九 stand for?
A: 九 translates to the number 9. It is a symbol that has internal meaning at Uber but is something we do not discuss externally.
Q: Is this an Internet bubble boondoggle?
A: It's a celebration of a major milestone for the company, as well as a chance for us to hold a company-wide retreat and organize our efforts globally. It's the one time that everyone in the company can meet in person all the people we work with every day.
_________________
I have gotten a list of concerns from the legal department. I have translated these concerns into a clear set of common sense guidelines. I've also added a few items of my own.
DON'Ts:
1) No lives should begin or end at 九
2) We do not have a budget to bail anyone out of jail. Don't be that guy. #CLM
3) Do not throw large kegs off of tall buildings. Please talk to Ryan McKillen and Amos Barreto for specific insights on this topic.
4) Do not have sex with another employee UNLESS a) you have asked that person for that privilege and they have responded with an emphatic "YES! I will have sex with you" AND b) the two (or more) of you do not work in the same chain of command. Yes, that means that Travis will be celibate on this trip. #CEOLife #FML
5) Drugs and narcotics will not be tolerated unless you have the appropriate medicinal licensing.
6) There will be a $200 puke charge for any public displays on the Shore Club premises. Shore Club will be required to send pictures as proof.
7) DO NOT TALK TO PRESS. Send all press inquiries to Andrew - [email protected] Additionally, stay vigilant about making sure people don't infiltrate our event. If and when you find yourself talking to a non-Uber (look for the wristband), keep confidential stuff confidential... no rev figures, driver figures, trip figures... don't talk about internal process, and don't talk about initiatives that have not already launched.
___________
DO's:
1) Have a great fucking time. This is a celebration! We've all earned it.
2) Share good music. Digital DJs are encouraged to share their beats poolside.
3) Go out of your way to meet as many of your fellow uberettos as you can.
4) If you haven't figured it out yet, Miami's transportation sucks ass. #Slang as many Miamians, drivers, influencers as you can as passionately as you can and let them know why Uber will make this great city an even better place. Every slang matters. #MiamiNeedsUber…
5) If someone asks to meet the CEO and Founder of Uber, kindly introduce him to Max Crowley.
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