EXL Service Holdings, Inc. Gender Discrimination and Retaliation Lawsuit
Case Name: Nancy Saltzman v. EXL Service Holdings, Inc., et al.
Case Type: Gender Discrimination
Filed in: New York Supreme Court
Case No.: 154361/2019
In 2019, Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight filed suit against EXL Service Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: EXLS), one of the world’s largest operations management and data analytics companies, and its senior officers, on behalf of its former General Counsel and Executive Vice President, Nancy Saltzman.
The Complaint alleged that when Ms. Saltzman complained to EXL Board Member Clyde Ostler about the discrimination that she was personally experiencing, the company fired her. According to the Complaint, as early as her first interviews, Ms. Saltzman’s gender made her a target. The Complaint discussed the sexist comments made by EXL’s President and Chief Operating Officer Pavan Bagai who asked another executive who had interviewed Ms. Saltzman whether she was “attractive.” When the other executive described her attire, Mr. Bagai commented that he appreciated her “short skirt.”
The situation did not improve after Ms. Saltzman was hired. According to the lawsuit, EXL’s overwhelmingly male senior leadership marginalized, micromanaged, and disrespected Ms. Saltzman, who was the first and only woman ever on EXL’s Executive Committee. This conduct allegedly included denying her travel requests, withholding essential information, and sharply curtailing her authority to make legal decisions for the company. This discrimination came to a head, Ms. Saltzman alleged, when EXL CEO Rohit Kapoor personally directed Ms. Saltzman to serve cake to junior male employees during a company anniversary celebration.
The Complaint alleged that EXL’s board nurtured the company’s discriminatory environment by empowering CEO Kapoor and Executive Vice President Miglani to retaliate against Ms. Saltzman. Specifically, Ms. Saltzman alleged that she sought assistance from Board Audit Committee Chair Clyde Ostler in addressing the discrimination. According to the Complaint, rather than confront EXL’s male domination and discriminatory practices, Mr. Ostler and Board Chairman Garen Staglin empowered CEO Kapoor and Mr. Miglani to fire Ms. Saltzman. They did so, Ms. Saltzman alleged, by telling Ms. Saltzman that her complaints of discrimination constituted her resignation.
Ms. Saltzman’s lawsuit sought more than $20 million in damages. The Complaint asserted claims of gender discrimination and retaliation culminating in her unlawful discharge under the New York City Human Rights Law.
The matter was concluded in 2020.
Procedural History
News Coverage
- Woman General Counsel Alleges She Was Asked To Serve Cake, Then Fired When She Complained In New Lawsuit
- Female executive told ‘ladies’ should cut the cake sues firm for gender discrimination
- Supreme lawyer says CEO directs her to serve cake because she is a woman
- Employer may not have cake and eat it
- Compensation For Silicon Valley Legal Leaders. Plus, Former In-House Lawyers File Suits
- A high-ranking lawyer claims her CEO directed her to serve cake at a party because she’s a woman
- Cake incident was ‘breaking point’ for marginalized general counsel, her $20M bias lawsuit says
- Ex-General Counsel Sues ExlService Holdings for Gender Discrimination, Retaliation
- Global analytics firm accused of sex bias, retaliation by former GC
- Female GC Had To Serve Men Cake, $20M Sex Bias Suit Says
- Fired EXL Service General Counsel Seeks $20M for Gender Bias
- Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight Files $20 Million Gender Discrimination and Retaliation Suit on Behalf of the Former General Counsel and Executive Vice President of EXL Service Holdings, Inc. Against the Company and Its Senior Officers
Attorneys Involved in the Case
David Sanford
Chairman
Russell Kornblith
Partner and General Counsel
Nicole Wiitala
Managing Partner for Legal Personnel and Co-Ombudsperson