Dell Sued Over Claimed ‘Concrete’ Ceiling

Alleging that recent layoffs at Dell have unfairly targeted older workers and women, four former human resources managers there filed a federal class action suit today against the computer maker.

They are seeking $500 million in damages in the Northern District of California action, arguing that each of the four plaintiffs lost more than $1 million in salary and benefits because of alleged employment discrimination, reports the New York Times.

"At Dell, it is an understatement to say that women face a glass ceiling; Dell's glass ceiling is made of concrete," contends plaintiffs lawyer Steven Wittels in a written statement.

Dell has received a number of awards for its diversity programs, and its diversity webpage says women represent 41 percent of the company's managers in the United States.