Lawsuit accuses Nike of gender discrimination on the job

While many California women are fans of Nike products, the massive sporting goods manufacturer is facing a lawsuit for gender discrimination in the workplace. The plaintiffs accuse the corporation of intentionally discriminating against women on the job in terms of wages, promotions and employment conditions. In addition, they also say that the company tolerated or ignored sexual harassment and assault, fostering a hostile workplace environment for women. Several former female employees filed the suit and are seeking recognition as a class-action case.

The former employees allege that they were passed over for promotion on the basis of gender discrimination. They said that women’s performance was judged by harsher standards than those used for men, meaning that fewer women enjoyed perks like bonuses and stock options. They also cited complaints made to the company’s human resources department about discrimination and sexual harassment, and they said that HR ignored or dismissed the complaints without thorough investigation.

In a statement, the sporting apparel company said that it is committed to providing women employees with competitive pay and benefits. However, the company has gone through serious changes since March 2018, when a group of women employees presented the results of a survey on discrimination in the workplace. Nike removed 11 executives and announced pay raises for 7,000 women after an internal review of its payment practices. The company noted that specific teams had seen problems with promotions and advancement while stopping short of admitting any specific wrongdoing.

Women continue to face discrimination on the job in some of the country’s — and the world’s — largest and most prestigious corporations. An employment lawyer can work with people affected by gender discrimination and sexual harassment on the job.