The FBI has agreed to pay $22.6 million to settle a lawsuit by 34 women who claim they were wrongly dismissed from the agency’s agent training academy because of their sex. The women allege that they performed as well as or better than male trainees on various tests but were still found unsuitable for graduation. Some also reported experiencing sexual harassment and sexist comments. The settlement, if approved by a federal judge, 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 lawsuit accused the FBI of violating Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits workplace discrimination based on sex. The agency has denied any wrongdoing but has taken steps in recent years to ensure gender equity in agent training. Lead plaintiff Paula Bird, who had her FBI career derailed, expressed satisfaction with the settlement and hopes it will bring justice and change for future female trainees. The settlement comes in the wake of a report on gender equity in the FBI’s training programs and a separate settlement related to the mishandling of sexual abuse allegations by Larry Nassar.
Overall, the settlement represents a significant step towards addressing gender discrimination within the FBI and working towards a more inclusive and equitable training environment for future agents.
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