New York Attorney General Letitia James, joined by five fellow state prosecutors, fired off a Wednesday letter demanding NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell address recent allegations about workplace inequities for the league’s female employees.
James and her colleagues from Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Oregon and Washington urged the NFL to handle the reported gender-based discrimination, including a culture of workplace sexism where some were subjected to unwanted physical contact from male co-workers.
“With 1,100 employees at the NFL, 37% of whom are women and 30% of whom are people of color, it is imperative that you ensure that all employees are treated equally, fairly and with the dignity they deserve,” read the letter signed by the half-dozen prosecutors.
“We … are deeply committed to enforcing federal, state, and local anti-discrimination laws that protect workers and further equality of opportunity for employees throughout our states.”
The prosecutors, who raised the possibility of legal action, referenced a recent report in The New York Times in which 30 ex-NFL workers described a hostile workplace for women, including a training session where female employees were bizarrely asked to raise their hands if they were victims or knew any victims of domestic violence.
The sextet of prosecutors referenced the 2014 caught-on-video assault by NFL running back Ray Rice on his fiancée, noting the report mentioned how female workers said they were subjected to repeated viewings of the beating — with commentary from colleagues suggesting the victim brought the violence on herself.
Other women alleged random touching by male bosses, parties where prostitutes were invited to attend, and the denial of promotions based upon their gender. Former NFL female employees learned after leaving the league that their discrimination complaints were never even recorded, the report said.
“All of this is entirely unacceptable and potentially unlawful,” the prosecutors wrote. “The NFL must do better — pink jerseys are not a replacement for equal treatment and full inclusion of women in the workplace.
“Our offices will use the full weight of our authority to investigate and prosecute allegations of harassment, discrimination or retaliation by employers … including at the National Football League.”
NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy, in a statement, responded that the league was looking forward to providing details of its equality programs to the state prosecutors.
“We share the commitment of the attorneys general to ensuring that all of our workplaces — including the league office and 32 clubs — are diverse, inclusive and free from discrimination and harassment,” said McCarthy. “We have made great strides over the years in support of that commitment, but acknowledge that we, like many organizations, have more work to do.
“We look forward to sharing with the attorneys general the policies, practices, protocols, education programs and partnerships we have implemented to act on this commitment and confirm that the league office and our clubs maintain a respectful workplace where all our employees, including women, have an opportunity to thrive.”
The letter comes as the NFL fights a discrimination lawsuit filed by former Miami Dolphins coach Brian Flores alleging the league is “rife with racism.”
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