The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has agreed to a historic settlement of over $22 million with a group of female recruits who filed a class-action lawsuit alleging widespread sex discrimination and harassment at the agency’s training academy in Quantico, Virginia.
The lawsuit, filed in 2019, claimed that dozens of women were unfairly dismissed from the academy due to their sex and were subjected to a culture of harassment by instructors, including unwanted advances, derogatory comments about their physical appearance, and false accusations of infidelity. The recruits also alleged that they were told to take birth control to “regulate their moods.”
The settlement, which is pending approval by a federal judge, will provide compensation to 34 women who claim to have suffered in a hostile work environment where they were unfairly targeted for criticism and dismissal. According to the plaintiffs’ attorney, David J. Shaffer, the settlement marks a significant step towards changing the attitudes that perpetuate sex discrimination within the FBI.
The lawsuit alleged that the FBI’s “Good Old Boy Network” allowed a culture of harassment to flourish unchecked, with female recruits facing unfair evaluation criteria and being held to different standards than their male counterparts. As part of the settlement, the FBI has agreed to allow the dismissed recruits to re-enter training with guaranteed placement in one of their preferred field offices, provided they meet the necessary requirements.
The agency has also agreed to an independent review of its evaluation process to ensure that female recruits receive a fair assessment. However, Shaffer noted that the settlement comes too late for some women who have already moved on to other careers, depriving the FBI of “genuinely exceptional talent.”
The payout follows a 2020 investigation by the Associated Press that revealed several senior FBI officials had quietly resigned with full benefits after allegations of sexual misconduct, allowing them to continue their careers in the private sector or law enforcement. The allegations against them included unwanted touching, advances, and coercion against female colleagues.
The settlement also comes on the heels of a $138.7 million payout to the victims of former Team USA doctor Larry Nassar, who was allowed to continue abusing athletes despite FBI inaction.
