A sex discrimination case against Goldman Sachs, which is now 13 years old, is finally scheduled to go before a jury in June 2023. The class action represents more than 1,400 current and former Goldman Sachs employees.
Case background
The case against Goldman Sachs was initially filed in 2010. The suit claimed that the firm’s two main evaluation metrics may appear gender neutral at first, but systematically ranked women lower than men. The class consists of female associates and vice presidents in the firm’s investment bank, management and securities divisions, whose pay was impacted by these metrics. The class was certified in 2018, despite Goldman Sachs’ efforts to the contrary.
In August 2022, Goldman Sachs asked the district court to dismantle the class four years after it was certified. The court found that “tweaking” the three separate class parameters should make the case more manageable.
Legal implications
If the plaintiffs win their case, it could put employers on notice: judges are more willing to allow this kind of major case to go forward. This is of note because, traditionally, larger classes at trial can bias a jury against defendants: they’re more likely to think that with all the plaintiffs involved, accusations against the defendant are justified.
Other legal scholars note that this case deals with a lot of unsettled issues, since employment discrimination class actions rarely make it this far in front of a jury. The disposition is expected to have a ripple effect throughout the finance and banking industry.
When you have an employer discrimination claim, a seasoned whistleblower attorney at Kardell Law Group can help. Call today for a consultation.
