The manager had urged his team to speak openly about mental health challenges
A former Google employee is suing the tech giant, claiming his manager weaponized a mental health disclosure against him.
Jeff Sklarin, a 33-year-old Senior Account Executive, filed suit against Google LLC on January 16 in federal court in Chicago, alleging the company discriminated against him based on his anxiety and depression diagnosis and his Jewish faith. The case raises pointed questions about what happens when workplace mental health initiatives collide with managerial bias.
Sklarin spent eight years at Google, joining in 2016 as an Agency Account Strategist. He rose through the ranks steadily, earning excellent performance reviews and substantial bonuses for seven consecutive years. Then came a new manager.
In April 2023, Sklarin began reporting to Syed Rabbi. Three months later, the two attended a team meeting focused on the importance of empathy in the workplace. Rabbi, according to court filings, positioned himself as an advocate and urged his team to speak openly about mental health challenges.
Sklarin took him at his word.
In August 2023, Sklarin disclosed to Rabbi that he had been diagnosed with anxiety and depression, and that serious health issues affecting his wife and grandparents were exacerbating his symptoms. Around the same time, Rabbi learned Sklarin was Jewish.
What followed, Sklarin alleges, was a sharp reversal. The manager who had championed openness allegedly began questioning whether Sklarin could "mentally handle the stress" of his role. Court documents describe repeated comments about the job being "very mentally tough" on him, and a pattern of hostile, non-constructive feedback.
By November 2023, Sklarin took FMLA leave, followed by short-term disability. When he returned, he received his most negative performance review in his time at Google and faced threats of a Performance Improvement Plan, despite hitting 93 percent of his revenue target.
The allegations paint a troubling picture of how internal channels responded. Human Resources, according to the filing, dismissed Sklarin's concerns as a "he said, she said" situation. When his doctor recommended a change of manager as a reasonable accommodation, Google's Accommodations Team reportedly called it "non-standard" and denied the request. An Employee Relations investigation concluded it could not substantiate his claims.
Out of options, Sklarin left the company in August 2024, claiming constructive discharge.
The lawsuit brings claims under Title VII, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and Illinois state law. Sklarin is seeking back pay, reinstatement, compensatory damages, and punitive damages.
Google has not yet responded to the allegations in court. No determination on the merits has been made.
For HR leaders, the case serves as a stark reminder: encouraging employees to disclose mental health conditions carries serious responsibility. When that trust is broken, the fallout can land squarely in a courtroom.
