The Federal Bureau of Investigation has agreed to pay $22.6 million to settle a lawsuit filed by 34 women who claim they were unfairly dismissed from the agency’s training academy due to their gender. The lawsuit, filed in 2019, alleged that the FBI had a widespread practice of forcing out female trainees despite their performance being equal or better than male trainees. Some of the women also reported experiencing sexual harassment and sexism during their time at the academy.
In addition to the monetary settlement, the agreement would allow eligible class members to seek reinstatement to the training program and require the FBI to hire outside experts to ensure fairness in evaluating trainees. The FBI, while denying any wrongdoing, has taken steps in recent years to address gender equity in its training programs.
Lead plaintiff Paula Bird expressed satisfaction with the settlement, stating that it would bring justice and necessary changes to provide women with a fair opportunity to pursue their careers as FBI agents. The lawsuit was filed under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits workplace discrimination based on sex.
The settlement comes after a report by the Justice Department’s Office of the Inspector General in 2022 found issues of gender equity in the FBI’s training programs. Earlier this year, the Justice Department announced a settlement to pay survivors of Larry Nassar’s sexual abuse $139 million, stemming from the FBI’s mishandling of initial allegations.
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