Closed Case
Gender Discrimination in Employment
Settled in 2002 for $31 million and Injunctive Relief

Seventeen women filed charges of discrimination with the EEOC alleging that American Express Financial Advisors, Inc. ("AEFA") discriminated against them in pay, advancement, distribution of leads and accounts, and other ways. Sprenger + Lang approached counsel for AEFA about the possibility of entering into classwide settlement discussions prior to the filing of a complaint, and AEFA agreed. After almost two years of information exchange and negotiation, the parties agreed to a settlement without much of the expense and ill will of litigation.

Under the settlement, AEFA agreed to payment of $31 Million and injunctive relief. The injunctive relief includes changes to the ways AEFA assigns and distributes leads, clients and accounts, changes to how AEFA handles complaints from field employees, changes to AEFA's promotional structure, limitation of discretion throughout the decision-making processes and other changes to policies and practices designed to further the careers of female financial advisors at AEFA. A portion of the settlement amount was set aside to assist current female financial advisors develop and expand their client bases and practices. The Consent Decree is effective through July 17, 2006.

Consent Decree

Co-Counsel: Miller-O'Brien, Minneapolis, MN.