Women-led class actions form an intriguing and critical aspect of our legal landscape. Such actions are essential to voice concerns, challenge practices, and bring about systemic change.
From gender discrimination cases in corporate giants, to suits against pharmaceutical companies for defective products, these actions empower women collectively who might otherwise feel powerless individually. In this article, we explore why women resort to class-action lawsuits, the challenges they face, and the impact of their endeavors in shaping a more just society.
7 Class Actions Brought By Women and Why
Let’s take a look at 7 class action lawsuits that were brought by women. If you want to check out more cases, you can visit Lawsuit Legal News, a trusted legal news source for class actions.
1. Goldman Sachs Gender Discrimination Lawsuit
In September 2023, 2,800 female associates and vice presidents who worked for or previously worked for Goldman Sachs won a $215 million gender discrimination lawsuit. The plaintiff, Allison Gamba, pursued this lawsuit in an effort to support strong women on Wall Street.
The class action lawsuit included a three-year period where Goldman will work with experts to close the gender pay, performance evaluations, and promotions gap. This is a win for women who are routinely discriminated against in the workplace, especially in male-dominated fields.
2. Disney’s Pay Gap Lawsuit
Women are, unfortunately, all too familiar with the gender pay gap. The pay gap rears its ugly head once again during this women-led payment lawsuit. The Walt Disney Company owes female workers over $150 million in wages because they were shortchanging women.
They did this and got away with it because Disney would provide pay based on the applicant’s previous role. This is problematic for both gendered and non-gendered reasons. But since women get paid less than men, they would nearly always have a lower starting wage.
This lawsuit can help women get paid on par with men in similar roles and bring the hammer down on companies that have the most power to change gender discrimination.
3. RCMP Sexual Harassment Lawsuit
In 2019, the Federal Court of Canada approved a $100-million class action for women who worked in non-policing jobs for the RCMP. This gender discrimination lawsuit includes women who’ve been harassed due to their gender or sexual orientation between 1974 and 2019.
Nearly 4,000 women submitted their claims, proving that there’s still rampant gender discrimination in policing. Those awarded will be given up to $222,000, which was the largest amount provided in Canadian history until the City of Leduc sexual misconduct lawsuit.
4. City of Leduc Sexual Misconduct Lawsuit
Leduc is a small town a few miles outside of Edmonton, Alberta. It’s all too common for crimes to go unnoticed in these places, which is an unfortunate reality for many local women.
Christa Steele and Mindy Smith, two firefighters in Leduc, protected so many women the day they brought their sexual misconduct lawsuit to the City of Leduc. Any woman who has worked for the City of Leduc since 2002, regardless of their job title, is eligible for the class action.
While many workplace lawsuits aren’t taken seriously due to gender discrimination, this case sets a precedent for many businesses going forward. Women aren’t provided a safe work environment, but these lawsuits can pressure the law to bolster protections for female workers.
5. Climate Change Human Rights Lawsuit
In Switzerland, a landmark suit is being brought to Europe’s top human rights courts. A group called the Swiss Senior Women for Climate Protection stated that the government’s failure to act on the climate crisis is violating their human rights and affecting their health and quality of life.
European governments, as well as governments across the globe, are frequently rejecting plans to reduce the effect of climate change. Climate change has been on every politician’s radar since the 1970s. Their lack of inaction impacts the lives of every single person on this planet.
If these women win the lawsuit, this would mean that all European countries would have to adopt legislation to prevent a global temperature increase, which is a win for us all.
6. Johnson & Johnson Baby Powder Lawsuit
Johnson & Johnson has faced years of mostly female-led lawsuits that claim its talcum powder leads to ovarian cancer and mesothelioma. J & J knew for decades that their powder contained asbestos but kept this information from the public until it was released without their consent.
These information heroes saved millions of mothers, and these lawsuits will save millions more. It’s undeniably wrong that companies keep getting away with keeping dangerous or defective products on the market. J & J plans to stop selling its talcum-based baby powder in 2024.
7. Hair Straighteners and Relaxers Lawsuit
There are nearly 60 lawsuits filed against L’Oreal due to its hair relaxers and their link to uterine cancers. Uterine cancer was found in several hair relaxer users, who are primarily black women.
Black women are frequently discriminated against if they wear their natural hair. To have access to more job roles, black women are forced to straighten their hair. This lawsuit proves what these women knew all along: that it’s safer and better for all women to come as they are.
The CROWN Act in the US and these lawsuits can pave ways for Black women in the workplace, but it isn’t enough. We all need to fight for equal representation every single day.
Class Action For A Cause
Let’s continue to witness and support the advancement of justice through these group actions. Each class-action lawsuit strengthens our collective voice, pushing societal norms toward more equality. Every brave woman standing up paves the way for countless others in the future.
