Nike Hit With Gender LawsuitTwo women who used to work at Nike claim they were paid less than their male counterparts and subjected to harassment.

[Collection]Nike Inc.’s workplace and culture are now coming under the legal microscope. Two women who used to work at the active brand have sued the company — and are trying to establish class-action status — alleging that they were paid less than their male counterparts and were exposed to a hostile workplace. Nike is already under fire for the atmosphere at its home office in Beaverton, Ore. Trevor Edwards, former Nike brand president and once a likely successor to chief executive officer Mark Parker, resigned under a cloud in March. The sudden move came after women who worked at the company conducted an internal survey on gender discrimination and presented its results to Parker. Edwards will forfeit $7.1 million in compensation when he officially steps away this month. The suit, filed Thursday in Oregon federal court by former Nike employees Kelly Cahill and Sara Johnston, paints a broader picture of a culture where women are underpaid. Nike did not immediately respond to a WWD query Friday. “At Nike, the numbers tell a story of a company where women are devalued and demeaned. For many women at Nike, the company hierarchy is an unclimbable pyramid — the more senior the job title, the smaller the percentage

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