Former Zscaler Employee Filed Discrimination Lawsuit
The plaintiff alleges the company retaliated against him after he took paternity leave.
Updated on Oct. 14, 2026 in Human Resources
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A former Zscaler employee has filed a federal lawsuit in Indiana alleging discrimination and retaliation. He claims the cloud security firm penalized him after he exercised his right to paternity leave.
Why it matters
The case highlights growing scrutiny over how corporations manage leave policies for new parents. It centers on allegations that performance evaluations were improperly linked to the plaintiff taking time off for his child.
The plaintiff maintained performance ratings of 4 and 5 out of 5 before his leave, but he alleges those marks declined to a 1 following his time away. The lawsuit remains in its initial procedural stages in federal court.
The players
Zscaler
Zscaler is a cloud security firm based in San Jose, California, that provides cloud-based network security solutions.
The details
The lawsuit alleges sex discrimination, interference with leave rights, and retaliation by the San Jose-based cloud security company. The former principal product manager is seeking a jury trial alongside compensatory, punitive, and liquidated damages.
Timeline
The plaintiff joined Zscaler in February 2023.
He transitioned into the principal product manager role in January 2025.
The federal lawsuit was filed on October 12, 2026.
Market Landscape
This litigation follows a pattern set by the Family and Medical Leave Act in addressing corporate compliance with federal protected leave. Such disputes highlight how tech-sector firms navigate the tension between intense performance management cultures and federal labor protections.
While the suit is specific to one firm, it underscores the importance for employees to document performance reviews and human resources interactions. For workers, it serves as a reminder of the legal protections available when requesting parental or medical leave.
The takeaway
Employees should maintain personal records of performance feedback and HR correspondence to protect their rights during leave requests. Managers and companies must ensure that personnel evaluations remain objective and are not influenced by the use of legally protected leave time.
Further reading
For more information on legal standards regarding corporate leave policies, visit the Human Resources section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Human Resources Director.
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