S
amuel Herrera, a former Zillow employee who joined the company at its inception, has sued the real‑estate platform alleging racial discrimination and retaliation. In a complaint filed September 23, Herrera says he earned seven promotions over 14 years, culminating in a general‑manager role for Eastern rentals in 2022, yet was repeatedly passed over for higher leadership positions because of his Hispanic heritage. The suit contends Zillow “reaped the benefits of his hard work but would not place a Hispanic man in its predominantly white upper ranks.” It further claims the company denied him promotions in favor of less‑qualified white colleagues and ultimately forced him out after he raised discrimination concerns.
The lawsuit also accuses Zillow of a double standard in handling sexual‑harassment complaints. After a former employee alleged that Herrera had harassed and discriminated against him, Zillow launched an investigation that allegedly ignored or only perfunctorily examined similar complaints against white executives, including Herrera’s supervisor, Shain Jordan, who was promoted during the period in question. Although the investigation cleared Herrera, he reports receiving feedback laced with stereotypes about Hispanic men and was offered only a resignation or a performance‑improvement plan. He chose the latter, yet observed white peers engaging in the same misconduct without consequence. When Herrera raised the issue of a race‑based double standard, management dismissed his concerns as “petty annoyances” and told him to stop documenting them.
In February 2024, Herrera was approved to take a veteran colleague to a five‑hour dinner costing $724 to seek advice on a struggling project. Zillow terminated him for allegedly violating its Travel and Expense Policy, despite the complaint that his supervisor routinely overlooked lavish spending by successful white executives. Herrera was not given a chance to reimburse the expense.
The case alleges violations of the federal Civil Rights Act and Colorado’s Anti‑Discrimination Act, seeks compensatory and punitive damages, attorneys’ fees, and a jury trial. Real Estate News has requested a response from Zillow and will report any updates.
