She flagged it to HR, got promises of protection — and still lost her spot
An Intuit manager allegedly called a high-performing Black employee a "DEI hire" — then retaliated after she reported it to HR.
Jasmine Mattoon, a seasonal Tax Specialist at the financial software company, filed suit on February 9 in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, alleging race discrimination and retaliation under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.
Mattoon joined Intuit in February 2022 as a Tax Prep Assistant and was promoted to Tax Specialist two years later after completing all prerequisites and passing the company's Intuit Academy tests. Intuit rehired her for three consecutive tax seasons based on her performance. Her most recent season ended with a 98% client satisfaction rating.
But according to the lawsuit, her experience under Level 1 Manager Todd Zoellick told a different story.
The filing alleges that in March 2024, during a video meeting, Zoellick told Mattoon he "moved from Illinois because there were too many black people, and it had gotten too rough for my taste." Mattoon, who is Black, says the remark left her feeling "small, devalued, and unwelcomed."
The remarks allegedly continued into the next tax season. In January 2025, Zoellick reportedly referred to Mattoon as a "DEI hire" during a discussion about workplace culture, telling her she would "definitely be let go" at a smaller company. Weeks later, he allegedly told her that becoming a CPA "would be harder for a woman" and steered her toward the Enrolled Agent exam instead because "the program was less difficult."
When Mattoon raised concerns that her low Back Office Prep metrics — which she believed were caused by a system glitch — were dragging down her overall ranking, Zoellick allegedly dismissed her. He later acknowledged in a team meeting that other employees had experienced the same issue. Still, Mattoon was not offered a seasonal extension. When she pressed him on the decision, Zoellick allegedly warned, "don't you dare play that card," and added, "I don't understand why you people go to that resolution," before attempting to walk the comments back.
In late March 2025, Mattoon reported Zoellick's conduct to HR. She told an HR Connect advisor she feared being "retaliated against and won't be invited back." She was assured that would not happen, and her internal grievance was escalated to Level 2 Manager Jaime Karakchos — who, according to the filing, never contacted her.
On April 18, Zoellick held what turned out to be a final meeting with Mattoon, this time with a witness and a recording. He told her senior leadership had decided not to invite her back, citing a failure to uphold "Intuit's values" — though he allegedly did not specify which ones. Just one month earlier, on March 18, he had awarded her a "Stronger Together Spotlight" for "going above and beyond to help others on her team."
Mattoon's last day was April 26, 2025. She had no history of disciplinary action and was never placed on a performance improvement plan.
The lawsuit seeks compensatory and punitive damages, back pay, and attorneys' fees. The case remains in its early stages, and Intuit has not yet responded. No determination has been made on the merits.
