The media seems to have its knives out for US investment bank Merrill Lynch as it defends the largest sex discrimination claim ever brought in the UK.
Now the Sunday Times reports that the bank has defended twice as many allegations of sex discrimination in the UK as any of its rivals in the past five years.
Most, it claims, were settled most out of court, imposing strict confidentiality clauses to prevent the grievances becoming public.
Female executives described a male-dominated work environment where women fail to reach the highest positions and are forced to tolerate sexist language or be excluded.One senior woman, who left the US-based investment bank last year, said: “Sexist remarks were made routinely. The men would misunderstand you on purpose and give your words an innuendo. That was just the way people talked to each other. I have never come across it to that extent anywhere other than Merrill Lynch.”