Heather Hender is set to testify in a U.S. District Court trial against Nike regarding allegations of gender discrimination and pay inequity.
Heather Hender is beginning a legal battle against Nike to determine if the company is civilly culpable for gender discrimination and pay inequity. The trial, which began with jury selection on Monday in Portland, focuses on the claims made by Hender, who worked as an engineer for the company. While several women originally filed the lawsuit in 2018, three of the four plaintiffs eventually settled with Nike. Hender remains the sole plaintiff as the case moves to trial. Judge Amy Baggio emphasized that the proceedings are specifically about this defendant rather than corporate America at large. The trial will feature evidence from Project Starfish, a series of surveys conducted by top female executives to identify gender discrimination within the company. The plaintiffs plan to call Melanie Strong, a former Nike vice president who led the project, as a high-profile witness. The trial is scheduled to conclude by Friday, though it may extend into early next week.