The window to join the KPMG gender discrimination class action suit hasn't yet closed, but today we've learned 1,000 women have joined so far. Here's the update from Katherine Kimpel of Sanford Heisler Kimpel LLP, the law firm representing the class action,:
With only one week left in the opt-in period, more than 1,000 women have joined the pay discrimination class action against KPMG. Of those, more than 17% are current employees.
"In our experience, having over a thousand women join is a remarkable response. The Big Four accounting field is filled with individuals who, even more than the average American, find suing an employer particularly scary, perhaps because of all the hard work and long hours they have dedicated to their careers. That more than a thousand women have nonetheless taken the step to stand up against KPMG's discriminatory practices is a testament not only to their courage but also to how deeply-rooted the problems at KPMG are. I have no doubt that many more women will be joining us between now and the January 31, 2015 deadline."
To the last point, we agree. As someone stated on our previous coverage of the lawsuit, it's likely many women are waiting to see just how many of their colleagues join the lawsuit before they themselves join.
But what about that quote? "The Big Four accounting field is filled with individuals who, even more than the average American, find suing an employer particularly scary, perhaps because of all the hard work and long hours they have dedicated to their careers."
Do we agree with that statement? How big of a role is psychology for the women who are eligible to join the class action, especially those still employed by the firm?
For those women who have joined — or have decided they will NOT join — the suit, how did you reconcile this aspect?
For those women still undecided, is this the primary anxiety you're feeling? Do you need to talk about it? Should we get a panel of white guys to research your feelings?
