A Booz Allen Hamilton Inc., partner filed a gender discrimination lawsuit against the company earlier this week in District of Columbia Superior Court, alleging that the company "flagrantly ignores its obligations under the law to treat women equally with men at the highest level of the firm."
Molly Finn, according to her complaint (PDF) filed July 27, was the highest-ranking female partner at the consulting firm until she was fired last September. Her termination takes effect on Oct. 31.
Finn accuses the firms’ Leadership Team – all of whom are men, she notes in the complaint – of consistently forcing out high-ranking women partners before they can reach the level of “Senior Partner.”
She also claims that male partners are paid more money and given faster tracks to advancement within the firm than women in a comparable position. As an example, she details golf trips with top firm partners that no women partners were invited to attend. “These outings presented a significant opportunity to network toward firm leadership positions – but only for men,” she writes.
Finn is being represented by Richard Salzman of Washington’s Heller, Huron, Chertkoff & Salzman. He could not immediately be reached this afternoon.
In a statement, Booz Allen spokesman James Fisher said that “Booz Allen does not comment publicly on details of personnel situations out of respect for an individual's privacy.”
“While we have not yet been served with the lawsuit, we are aware of Ms. Finn's allegations and strenuously deny them,” he said. “Because of our strong belief in the merits of our position, we intend to contest her claims through the litigation process.”
Finn joined Booz Allen in 1986 as a research associate, according to her complaint. She was made a partner in 1998.
After breaking up with her partner in 2006, Finn alleges that she was subjected to questions from firm leaders about her ability to work as a now-single parent. She said she was pushed to explain her ability to continue working at the same level to Ralph Shrader, president, CEO and chairman of the firm’s board of directors.
At one point, Finn claims she was told to “stop saying pro-woman, feminist things to Ralph.”
The case is before Judge Laura Cordero. An initial scheduling conference is scheduled for Oct. 28.
I only worked with BAH for part of this year. I smelled a bad environment when I was going through my on-boarding. I saw a stark lack of women leaders everywhere I went - there wasn't any. The ethics videos they showed us about preventing sexual harassment were also a red flag. They were over the top and reeked of trying too hard to smooth issues over. I immediately smelled a rat. I knew what was up when I hit my client site. I commented about the lack of women at my site, and my leadership also overreacted and gave me a lengthy statement about diversity initiatives at the site. However, having been prior military on a military customer site, I let my loyalty to my Corps push me to support them. For a few months. Then one of my managers began making comments about women ironing his clothes and saying black people were lazy. Then he began yelling profanity at myself and my black teammate who was a subcontractor. My termination notice was quickly put in. Do I expect this to be resolved by HR? Heavens no, they just want to prevent a lawsuit against Booz. Do not take the candy they offer you, walk away with your dignity - and your ability to sue.
Posted by: Short-timer | September 18, 2012 at 03:48 PM
Someone above said the typical partner is a male, 6' tall. I am now retired and am a former partner. I am 6'1" tall. However, I recall many partners below 6' in height.
Posted by: Mike (Michael E. Cohen) | May 17, 2012 at 05:07 PM
This unfortunately goes on in many businesses. Go get'em Molly, make an example of this turdwad ;)
Posted by: escort girls in orange county | January 03, 2012 at 02:49 PM
There is no reward for being a consistent, hard working team member. No loyalty from above or support from below. For some reason keeping your focus on the job at hand and not working the back channels office politics only positions you for a bumpy ride on the way out the door. The (3) current legal complaints offer tidbits that are eerily similar to my own experiences over the past year. I used to think this was a quality firm that actually adhered to the much hyped and advertised "core values" . Silly me. I say to Molly and Margo and all others experiencing the deceptive and slimy back hand of their corrupt HR and other policies - don't be afraid to say what you think, and stand up for principle and convictions. You probably won't get anything other than the satisfacation of knowing you speak the truth.
Posted by: elise | September 04, 2011 at 04:16 PM
I worked at BAH for 17 years, and during my tenure there were the same two white female partners and the same two black male partners for more than half of my tenure there. When I left there were several more women (non of which were black) and only two additional black males (and one left shortly after I did). The one black female who was doing all of the right things to be the first one to make partner hit a BRICK WALL - no ceilings here! She met w/ Shrader, her managing partner and everyting - they did everything to encourage her to stay including lie about what they "would do". In the end they never did anything and she moved on to bigger and better things. Sadly, there were many women who did that - myself included. The "Good Old Boys" network has been in effect for over 20 years, and it doesn't sounds like anything has changed despite all of their diversity songs ... and it probably never will. I remember Molly when I was there - good luck to you, and I hope your efforts help those standing in your shadow!
Posted by: BAH'er 1988-2005 | September 01, 2011 at 01:43 PM
I've worked at Booz for 8-years. They are anything but sexist! They care about performance and results. You could be a blue monster from Pluto. If clients like you, you're in. Like any firm, but especially Booz -- networking is key. You can't rise to top as a radical. The firm has been downsizing to save costs now that it's public. Part of that is getting rid of dead weight, high paid execs.
Posted by: Current BAH Employee | August 31, 2011 at 07:22 PM
What is interesting about this is not the "good ol boys" network, but the utter hypocracy of the diversity culture promoted by BAH.
The firm is a typical Ponzi scheme, excuse me, "performance based". Having been with the firm in the late eightes and early nineties, much of the current partnership grew their businesses through aggressive means that ride the razor of ethical conduct. It's interesting to note the timing of the dimissals and one has to wonder if the company has developed morals as a result of increase scrutiny from going public and from the new ability to compete in the commercial market now that the non-compete agreement with BAC has expired.
Posted by: Two Time Booz Employee | August 23, 2011 at 10:19 AM
Way to go Molly! I wonder how many of us women who consistently delivered results got hit for our communication style just because we did not fit the mold. I was very disturbed when I discovered in one of those diversity courses that were offered that women had caught up with men on all fronts but were being chastized and held back because they became too assertive in the process and 'lost their feminine side'. Let's not forget also how we celebrated each time a woman made partner; it was sad!
Good luck with the lawsuit.
Posted by: Former female employee | August 22, 2011 at 02:36 AM
I used to work in Molly Finn's organization and I had been wondering about why she kept being reshuffled in our business; now I have at least one side of the story.
As a former female employee, there were very few women models in Booz Allen to look up to, which is one of the key reasons I left-I knew I would never get promoted no matter how many hours I worked and how much business I brought in.
Molly fits into my categorization of "pre-expansion" promotions, where there seemed to be a lot more equality of promotions before Carlyle took over. We were told at women's forums by these pre-expansion partners and other senior women that if we worked hard we would one day stand where they were if we wanted. But when you looked around, you couldn't find a single woman in my line of business who had been promoted from Associate to Sr Associate, much less to partner, within the almost 6 years I spent there. It is regrettable that Booz Allen would can the one role model, "old school" as she was, that women in Booz Allen could emulate.
Posted by: Former 5+ Year Employee | August 19, 2011 at 01:31 PM
Working at Booz Allen Hamilton, I experienced age and gender discrimination. I raised issues such as younger employees saying older employees’ experience mean nothing, and only skill counts on projects, harsh treatment of minorities and those who did not attend the most popular schools, and Booz Allen Hamilton not providing clients with what they asked for and providing the clients with work products slanted towards Booz’ agendas.
Posted by: Former Employee | August 19, 2011 at 07:23 AM
Perhaps some government investigation will uncover a great deal more than just Ms. Finn's issues. The firm has many bad HR habits. Most of which started in 2003 - 04 when the VP's had the chance to sell out to Carlisle. A previously dedicated employee centric culture changed overnight to one that would take anyone off at the knees who did not walk in the military officer's shoes. Things went very strange, very quickly.
Posted by: Former employee | August 19, 2011 at 12:50 AM
Booz Allen Hamilton is very good at sliding through the cracks of the law. When employees go to HR with an issue, HR people do not take any notes ensuring there is no paper trail. Can you imagine this behavior out of a human resources department? I was hired last July with the idea of starting work immediately. After starting work I was informed there were no available projects for my skill sets. Believe it or not, BAH hired over 1000 people thinking it was going to take numerous contracts from other contracting companies. When this did not happen they begin to send out no work letters. We learned we were hired to meet a quota for BAH to show the government it had enough minorities on it books, after going public. Now minorities are getting fired, emotionally abused, and then pushed out of the door.
Posted by: Current Booz Allen Employee | August 18, 2011 at 10:22 PM
Booz Allen Hamilton does honor its policies and procedures;they are not applied fairly. The core values they tout, are just words. Managers lie consistentlyh on . the employee evaluations are slanted to reflect what they want them to be and not a true reflection of the employees' talents.
I have caught my career manager is several lies.
Posted by: Current Employee | August 18, 2011 at 05:33 PM
That's not Booz Allen is doing. Booz Allen found out it did not have enough minority employees when they wanted to go public, so they hired those employees, would not allow them to work on anything significant and has given most of them no work letters or are now having HR secretly advice them to "look for work outside the organization". There is a lot wrong at Booz Allen and thanks Molly we need more women like you. Work/Life balances still exist for some of us.
Posted by: Former employee | August 18, 2011 at 03:54 PM
Wow, this is saddly so true.
And for the record it is not just women, it is anyone who they feels doesn't fit the mold. I'm a "six foot white male", who consistently over performed (brought in several big contracts) and got great reviews, but got slowed down for raises and promotions. The offical reasons were never clear, but was told in confidence that it was in large part b/c of having grown up in a small town and gone to a state school.
Posted by: Former BAH employee | August 18, 2011 at 03:30 PM
I want to applaud Molly for taking the move to stand up to the Male dominated culture. Booz Allen talks the big talk about supporting women, but in no way do they demonstrate this in the fair treatment of women who perform at or above that of a man. I have seen women fight to get ahead and are continually held back. Women that are strong and direct are told, you have communication challenges. Men that are strong and direct are applauded and promoted. I worked at Booz and not only witnessed this was too a victim of this treatment. Way too go Molly!!! Do I hear a class action suit in making may not be unrealistic. Wake up Booz Allen Men - if you talk the talk then walk the walk. Equal treatment and equal pay.
Posted by: Former female employee | August 17, 2011 at 10:13 PM
After working 15 years at BAH I can assert this is true. BAH has absolutely no diversity at the higher levels (Principal and higher). It is your typical "old boys" club. The archetype of the partner is your male white six foot tall. I encourage Molly to go hard against them. The federal government needs to known the type of consultants they are using.
Posted by: Thomas | August 17, 2011 at 06:09 PM
Having read through Molly's complaint, and having worked at Booz Allen for some time, all I can say is, it rings true.
Posted by: James | August 15, 2011 at 09:51 PM
When I was at BAH( 2000-2002 ), I saw first hand discrimination against women & those who didn't know the secret handshake...but there was those who continued putting up a fight by overachieving including myself..but after awhile I saw the unbreakable glass ceiling and left the firm with no regrets, but not without venting during my exit interview... ..Go Molly!
Posted by: Former BAH | August 13, 2011 at 08:38 AM
As a former Booz Allen Hamilton employee I say "Go Molly go!" From my experience I have no doubt her side of the story is 100% truthful and accurate.
Posted by: Walter | August 11, 2011 at 04:21 PM