Attorney General Kwame Raoul joined a coalition of six attorneys general expressing grave concerns about recent reports of the National Football League’s (NFL) hostile workplace culture. Recent reports indicate that more than 30 former employees have now come forward and described a pervasive culture of sexism and widespread workplace discrimination within the NFL including, but not limited to, sexual harassment, targeted retaliation, and harmful stereotyping. In a letter to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, Raoul and the coalition call on the league to take swift action to improve workplace conditions and protect female employees.
“Nobody deserves to be discriminated against or feel unsafe in their workplace, no matter who or how powerful their employer,” Raoul said. “I urge the NFL to address these ongoing claims of gender-based discrimination and take steps to ensure every person, regardless of gender, feels safe and respected – no matter their role. I am committed to continuing to oppose discrimination and harassment of any kind in the workplace.”
In February 2022, the New York Times published reports from over 30 former employees of the NFL, describing a hostile workplace for women. Female employees reported that they were subjected to repeated viewings of the Ray Rice video – which showed the Baltimore Ravens running back punching and knocking unconscious his then-fiancé in an elevator – with commentary by coworkers that the victim had brought the violence on herself. In a training intended to improve sensitivity on the issue, women were reportedly asked to raise their hand to self-identify if they had been victims of domestic violence or knew someone who had.
Female employees describe experiencing unwanted touching from male bosses, attending parties where prostitutes were hired, facing unfair criticism based on stereotypes, being passed over for promotions based on their gender, and being pushed out of their jobs for lodging complaints about discrimination. Following their departure, some employees even learned that discrimination complaints had never been recorded.
In today’s letter, Raoul and the coalition urged Commissioner Goodell to explain this continued inaction to address these issues. If true, the NFL’s failures may violate local, state, and federal antidiscrimination laws, which prohibit employers from discriminating against women, people of color, and domestic violence victims, or subjecting them to a hostile work environment. Raoul and the coalition will use the authority of their offices to investigate and prosecute all allegations of harassment, discrimination, or retaliation by employers throughout their states.
Original source can be found here.