This lawsuit alleges Gold’s Gym engaged in a pattern of discriminatory practices in failing to promote male employees to sales director positions in violation of the Federal Civil Rights Act.
Grayson Wood, a male, was employed as a manager and sales representative at Gold’s Gym South York located in York, Pennsylvania from July 2014 and November, 2014. Gold’s Gym is a privately held chain of fitness gyms headquartered in Texas.
Wood worked as a manager prior to becoming a members sales representative at Gold’s Gym in July 2014. On October 29, 2014, after a Sales Director position with a substantial pay increase became available, Wood expressed interest in the position to the general manager of the York Gold’s Gym. The complaint states that when Wood expressed interest in the position, the general manager informed Wood in writing that he did not have "tits or a [vagina]," which were the "real requirements" for the position. Wood claims the general manager deliberately discouraged him from applying for the Sales Director position and that he understood neither he nor any other male should apply, or would be hired, for the position of Sales Director. According to the complaint, all Sales Directors have been mostly or exclusively female during the general manager’s tenure and that he had stated he was only hiring females for certain sales jobs because "women can sell memberships with their breasts." A female was reportedly hired for the October 2014 Sales Director position at issue.
On September 15, 2015, Wood filed suit in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania seeking class action certification individually and on behalf of class of all males who applied for the position of Sales Director and/or were not allowed to apply for the position of Sales Director at Gold’s Gym at any time from September 2010 to the complaint filing date. The complaint alleges Gold’s Gym owners/operators refused to hire or promote males, solely or primarily on the basis of their gender, for the higher paying Sales Director positions at the gyms, in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Acts of 1964, as amended. The complaint requests an injunction requiring Gold’s Gyms to cease its discriminatory and retaliatory practices, and seeks back and front pay, as well as compensatory and punitive damages.
Article Type: LawsuitTopic: Employment
Most Recent Case Event
Male employee sues Gold’s Gym franchise alleging gender discimination
September 15, 2015
Here is the complaint. It alleges that a franchise of Gold's Gym only hired female employees as Sales Directors and bypassed better qualified men.
golds_gym_complaint.pdfCase Event History
Male employee sues Gold’s Gym franchise alleging gender discimination
September 15, 2015
Here is the complaint. It alleges that a franchise of Gold's Gym only hired female employees as Sales Directors and bypassed better qualified men.
golds_gym_complaint.pdf