Judge Sides With Nike in Recent Development in Gender Discrimination Suit

A gender discrimination lawsuit filed against Nike by a group of female employees will not be eligible as a class action suit, an Oregon judge ruled last week. The suit, initially filed in August 2018 by two former female Nike employees, alleged that the company “intentionally and willfully” discriminated against women with regard to pay and promotions, and that its majority-male executives fostered a hostile work environment at its Portland, Ore., headquarters. Two more women and former Nike employees were added to the suit as well and attorneys for the plaintiffs sought a class action status for the complaint, which typically leads to a settlement rather than trial. The plaintiffs were pushing for the lawsuit to represent at least 5,200 current and former salaried corporate female employees at Nike’s HQ. In denying to certify of the class, U.S. District Court Judge Magistrate Jolie Russo said that the plaintiffs did not “establish a common question of law or fact capable of class-wide resolution for starting pay and their disparate impact claims.” So while the remaining plaintiffs can still represent themselves, they may not serve as representatives of the other 5,200 Nike employees. FN has reached out to Nike for a comment. Laura Salerno Owens, president and shareholder

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