More Controversy From Former Washington Spirit owner
Within days of Steve Baldwin firing former senior Amazon national security tech executive Jen Nelson, he also dismissed all the other women leaders in Finch AI.
When Baldwin fired Nelson, he informed the other women executives in Finch AI that Nelson was guilty of creating a toxic work environment. This was the same allegation that Baldwin made against Michele Kang, the co-owner of the Washington Spirit women’s soccer club. The allegation was proven to be false when the Washington Spirit players wrote an open letter exposing abuse that took place under Baldwin’s ownership and demanding a forced sale of Baldwin’s stake in the club.
It can’t get worse. Controversial Former Washington Spirit owner Steve Baldwin now fired all the Women Executives at Finch AI.
When Baldwin fired Nelson, he informed the other women executives in Finch AI that Nelson was guilty of creating a toxic work environment. This was the same allegation that Baldwin made against Michele Kang, the co-owner of the Washington Spirit women’s soccer club. The allegation was proven to be false when the Washington Spirit players wrote an open letter exposing abuse that took place under Baldwin’s ownership and demanding a forced sale of Baldwin’s stake in the club.
When women executives protested to Baldwin about the way he fired Nelson as the Chief Operating Officer of the company, Baldwin fired all the remaining women leaders in Finch AI within days of Nelson. This includes former Amazon executive Ashley McGee and respected head of data science Hilary Longworth amongst others.
A former Finch AI female employee has now filed a discrimination complaint against Baldwin at the District of Columbia Office of Human Rights (OHR) and is demanding an investigation into Baldwin and Finch AI. In the complaint it is alleged that Baldwin is perpetuating the same abuse that happened at the Washington Spirit at Finch AI, while seeking multi million dollar AI contracts with Federal Government agencies.
The DC Office of Human Rights (OHR) is a government agency that enforces the DC Human Rights Act (DCHRA) and other civil rights laws for employees in the District of Columbia.
The complaint to the OHR follows several former members of the Washington Spirit last week calling on the NWFL to hold Baldwin accountable for the serious abuse that took place during his ownership of the club. The players expressed fears about a pattern of behavior in which female executives are abused.
In recent years the US Department of Labor and the Justice Department have imposed massive fines on technology companies that have discriminatory employment practices including against women engineers.
In June 2024 the US Labor Department fined federal contractor Deere & Co for its discriminatory practices which included back pay to all the employees victimized.
A spokeswoman for the US Department of Labor said the Department takes employment law enforcement seriously. Employers could face steep “civil money penalties” for discrimination. And if the offense happens again, the employer could potentially face jail time.
The published material expresses the position of the author, which may not coincide with the opinion of the editor.