Lead plaintiff Kelly Cahill, who is suing sportswear manufacturer Nike Inc., filed a motion for certification of a class comprised of all current and female employees working in certain divisions beginning in October 2017. The case accuses the sportswear manufacturer of discrimination in their hiring and salary practices towards women.
According to the complaint, the plaintiff is seeking relief on behalf of the class under the Oregon Equality Act and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
The complaint claims that Nike acknowledged, multiple times, that its use of new hires’ prior salary information in setting starting salaries was biased, “perpetuated poor pay practices,” and that ending the practice would improve “pay and hiring equity,” the plaintiff says.
The complaint states, “Though Nike stopped its admittedly “biased” collection and consideration of prior pay, Nike did not commit to awarding back pay for the damages this policy caused …Nor did Nike produce evidence showing it either analyzed the adverse impact its “prior pay” policy caused or took any specific steps to compensate class members for the pay lost due to this policy.”
The plaintiff is represented by Markowitz Herbold PC, Ackermann & Tilajef PC, and India Lin Bodien Law.
