The FBI agreed Monday to pay more than $22 million to settle a class-action lawsuit that accused the agency of discriminating against female recruits throughout their training period. The lawsuit alleged that women were unfairly targeted for termination and regularly subjected to harassment, including inappropriate comments by instructors about their breast size, unfounded accusations of disloyalty and suggestions that they use contraception to “manage their moods”.
The settlement, which is yet to be approved by a federal judge, provides compensation for 34 women who were fired from the FBI training academy in Quantico, Virginia. If approved, it would be one of the biggest lawsuit settlements in FBI history.
The lawsuit, first filed in 2019, alleges that female recruits were subjected to a hostile work environment in which they faced harsher judgments than their male colleagues. It also alleges that women were “excessively targeted for correction and dismissed” during tactical drills, based on perceived poor judgment and subjective assessments of their “suitability.”
One woman recounted being told to “smile more” and repeated sexual advances. Another reported that an instructor looked at her and stared at her chest, “sometimes licking her lips”.
“These problems are pervasive within the FBI and the attitudes that created them were learned at the academy,” said David J. Shaffer, the lawyer for the women. “This case will make important major changes in these attitudes.” Shaffer also believe that “the FBI has deprived itself of some genuinely exceptional talent”.
In a statement on Monday, the FBI affirmed that it had “taken significant steps over the past five years to further promote gender equity in the training and development of all our trainees”.
Most of the claims in the lawsuit were confirmed by a 2022 internal audit report, yet despite recent diversification efforts, men still make up about three-quarters of the bureau’s special agents.
Paula Bird, lead plaintiff in the case and now an attorney, portrayed the experience as “disillusioning,” but expressed great satisfaction that the settlement “will bring a measure of justice to women who have been wrongfully dismissed”. As a response, the FBI announced a series of reforms, including a 24/7 reporting hotline aimed at taking a tougher stance on agents found guilty of misconduct and providing support for women victims of such behavior.
