New York Employment Law Blog

New York-based Goldman Sachs was accused of workplace discrimination on June 5 in a lawsuit filed by one of its former vice presidents. The 31-year-old man clams that he was terminated after speaking up about the way LGBT workers were treated at the company. A Goldman Sachs representative denied the allegations, which he described as meritless.

The man joined Goldman Sachs as an analyst in 2010 after graduating from college. He says in his lawsuit that he was promoted to vice president after only six years with the bank due to his outstanding job performance. He claims that things changed in 2018 when he filed a complaint with the bank's employee Relations department over what he described as rampant homophobia and sexual orientation discrimination.

While people in New York are now more aware of sexual harassment, it continues to pose a serious problem on the job for many women. The #MeToo movement shed light on harassment and sexual coercion in major industries, including entertainment, politics and technology. While it may have bolstered some women's willingness to report inappropriate treatment on the job, the movement has not stopped sexual harassment from taking place. Indeed, women are still facing firing, demotion or attempts to force them out of their jobs, especially after reporting harassment incidents.

Retaliation by employers is illegal; workers cannot be fired or otherwise penalized for reporting sexual harassment. Still, it continues to be an all-too-common practice that pressures many female employees and stops them from speaking up about mistreatment on the job. Some companies have come under fire for policies related to harassment, including mandatory arbitration procedures and nondisclosure agreements that largely serve to protect perpetrators rather than victims. The success of the #MeToo movement in ousting powerful executives in the entertainment industry has encouraged many to come forward, but they continue to face inappropriate retaliation in many cases.

Over the last couple of years, the problem of sexual harassment (in all areas of life) has come into sharper focus and greater public awareness. Even many women who have personally experienced sexual harassment or assault did not know the true scale of the problem because it was seldom discussed publicly. Thankfully, that is changing.

As we have these difficult conversations and ask victims to come forward, we are learning that no profession is immune from workplace sexual harassment – including the legal profession. According to a recent survey of nearly 7,000 attorneys in 135 countries, nearly a third of female lawyers reported being a victim of sexual harassment in the workplace. The survey, which was conducted by the International Bar Association (IBA), also found that nearly half of female attorneys had been bullied at work.

As someone who works hard for a living, you undoubtedly want to make sure that your efforts are not for nothing. Typically, individuals receive compensation for the work they perform, which allows for a fair exchange. Of course, you may worry about not receiving the proper compensation for your work, but the Fair Labor Standards Acts works to ensure fair and correct pay.