NEW YORK, December 19, 2023 — A former Spotify executive is alleging the streaming giant fostered a racially discriminatory environment, retaliated against her, and systematically mistreated its Black employees, according to a lawsuit filed Thursday in Manhattan federal court. Aisha Mootry, a former director of sales at Spotify, claims the company intentionally discriminated against her throughout her three-year tenure.
Allegations Detail Systemic Disadvantage
The suit alleges Spotify held Mootry to higher standards than her non-Black peers while providing fewer resources.
- Mootry alleges she was given a weaker sales portfolio and an understaffed team.
- The lawsuit claims Spotify failed to address discriminatory behavior from coworkers.
- Mootry asserts she was terminated for “pretextual reasons” after raising concerns with HR.
- Spotify denies the allegations, stating it is committed to a fair and respectful workplace.
According to the complaint, Mootry experienced a pattern of unequal treatment during her time at Spotify, beginning when she was hired as a contractor in 2020 and transitioning to a full-time role in 2021. Despite consistently exceeding expectations – including leading her team to generate over $42 million in revenue in 2023, 36 percent above her target – she claims she was disadvantaged from the start.
The lawsuit states Mootry was one of only three Black employees in Spotify’s Chicago office. She alleges she faced higher performance expectations than her colleagues, alongside a less favorable sales portfolio and a team lacking sufficient staffing. Furthermore, she contends Spotify did not intervene when coworkers engaged in discriminatory behavior and allowed harmful stereotypes to flourish.
“Spotify…condoned an atmosphere where colleagues circulated race-based and stereotypical allegations that Ms. Mootry was difficult to work with, perpetuating the ‘angry Black woman’ stereotype,” her attorneys wrote in the filing.
The legal team further argues that “Spotify’s decision to systematically disadvantage Ms. Mootry and other Black employees, particularly Black women in leadership, by setting them up for failure and then blaming them for the consequences of this unequal treatment is consistent with its pattern of mistreatment and retaliation.”
Mootry also alleges that employees reporting to her were “openly insubordinate,” excluding her from crucial client meetings. She claims she was routinely left out of leadership events and team gatherings, fostering an environment where she and other Black employees felt “invisible.”
“Spotify disregarded, silenced, and overlooked Black employees,” the lawsuit states. “This exclusion was not incidental — it was deliberate, persistent, and deeply isolating.”
The filing details multiple instances where Mootry raised her concerns with human resources, but claims her complaints were ignored or dismissed. In one instance, she alleges she was advised to “consider finding another job.” She was terminated in January, allegedly for “pretextual reasons,” being told simply, “it just wasn’t working.”
“Spotify’s termination of Ms. Mootry’s employment was the culmination of its discriminatory treatment and the final act in a years-long effort to push her out of the company,” her lawyers contend.
Spotify has denied the allegations. A company spokesperson stated, “We strongly disagree with these allegations. Spotify is committed to a workplace where everyone is treated fairly and with respect.”
Mootry’s lawsuit accuses Spotify of violating federal, New York state, and New York City civil rights laws, citing both discrimination and retaliation related to her termination.
