Nike Should Face Class Sex Bias Claims, Judge Says

Four women who accuse Nike Inc. of systemic sex discrimination at its metropolitan Portland, Ore., headquarters should be allowed to seek classwide relief, a federal magistrate judge said Feb. 26.

The lawsuit filed last summer alleges that 500 or more women have been harmed by the bias, which includes using salary history to set starting pay and other unlawful practices that marginalize the performance of female employees and stunt their career growth.

The women say Nike’s pattern or practice of discrimination also includes largely ignoring complaints of workplace sexual harassment.

Nike quickly moved to dismiss the women’s class claims. But ...