In 2010, three female employees at Goldman Sachs Group Inc. filed a group lawsuit against their former employer, alleging that Goldman Sachs has a pattern of gender discrimination against female associates and vice presidents. The three plaintiffs included a former vice president, a former managing director and a former associate.
The former Goldman Sachs vice president says that she was sexually assaulted by a co-worker after he was promoted to managing director. After a firm-sponsored celebratory dinner and visit to a topless bar, the new managing director pinned the woman against a wall, kissed her and groped her. The woman says that after she complained about the incident to her supervisor, her career growth stagnated while the man accused of assault was promoted to partner over time.
On Oct. 14, a U.S. Magistrate judge in Manhattan ruled that the company must turn over all complaints ‘conceivably related” to workplace discrimination against women. Attorneys for Goldman Sachs called the other side’s request a ‘fishing expedition,” saying that many of the complaints filed internally had nothing to do with the case. The judge disagreed and said that Goldman Sachs should have known that complaints containing certain “buzzwords” such as ‘sex discrimination” or ‘gender” should be identified by the company.
A Michigan attorney who has experience in workplace discrimination cases may be able to help clients who are in similar situations as the plaintiffs in this case. That attorney might be able to make the defendants release any complaints filed regarding such discrimination and gather witness statements as evidence. The attorney may then represent clients in court or negotiate a settlement for monetary compensation.
Source: Bloomberg.com, “Goldman Must Turn Over Female Employee Complaints in Suit“, Karen Gullo , October 15, 2013
