Press Release: Outten Golden
Morgan Stanley > Gender Discrimination > Press Release > Law Firm Outten Golden LLP
Allison Schieffelin Joins EEOC Civil Rights Challenge to Morgan Stanley
New York (September 10, 2001) -- Allison Schieffelin today joined the EEOC in challenging gender discrimination and retaliation by her former employer, Morgan Stanley. Ms. Schieffelin has submitted a request to intervene in a lawsuit filed earlier today against Morgan Stanley by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission("EEOC"). The lawsuit was filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. Effectively, under Ms. Schieffelin's request, the two matters will be joined into a single lawsuit.
In her 29-page proposed complaint, Ms. Schieffelin charges that "Morgan Stanley has maintained a discriminatory workplace in which she and other female employees have encountered a glass ceiling" and "were denied promotions and compensation commensurate with men."
Ms. Schieffelin further charges that, after she filed a "charge of discrimination" with the EEOC in 1998, Morgan Stanley initiated an unlawful "campaign of retaliation" against her. Among other things, the firm sought to "diminish, demean, humiliate, embarrass, isolate and ostracize Ms. Schieffelin in the workplace."
In October 2000, this "campaign of retaliation" culminated in the firm's termination of Ms. Schieffelin's employment on "pretextual grounds." Ms. Schieffelin, 40, is a 1986 graduate of the Kellogg Graduate School of Business Management at Northwestern University. At the time of her termination, she had been with Morgan Stanley for more than 14 years and was a Principal in the Institutional Equity Division.
This case became the subject of intensive public interest in July 1999 when it became known that the EEOC was engaged in an extensive investigation of Morgan Stanley's employment practices.
In June 2000, the EEOC issued a Letter of Determination stating that Morgan Stanley had "subjected [Ms. Schieffelin] and a class of similarly situated women in the Institutional Equity Division ("IED") to a pattern and practice of discrimination because of their sex."
In March 2001, the EEOC issued a second Letter of Determination stating that Morgan Stanley's "justification for its treatment and termination of [Ms. Schieffelin] is pretextual."
In a statement, Ms. Schieffelin said "I am very pleased that the EEOC has brought this important action to protect the rights of so many women who have worked at Morgan Stanley. I am hopeful that this will help create a truly level playing field for the next generation of women at Morgan Stanley."
In addition to remedial changes at Morgan Stanley, Ms. Schieffelin is seeking an award for lost compensation, plus compensatory and punitive damages.
Ms. Schieffelin is represented by Wayne Outten of Outten & Golden in New York City. Mr. Outten is a noted lawyer who represents employees in employment disputes. He is president of the New York affiliate of the National Employment Lawyers Association and is president of Workplace Fairness, a tax-exempt organization.
Ms. Schieffelin's proposed complaint and motion papers, together with today's public remarks by Ms. Schieffelin and Mr. Outten, can be found at www.outtengolden.com.