NEW HAVEN, Conn. (BRAIN) — Specialized Bicycle Components and Lauren Parenti have agreed to settle the lawsuit that Parenti filed last month. The former graphic designer for the brand had charged that she was terminated in violation of federal and state civil rights and employment laws.
On Wednesday Parenti notified the court that she was terminating the case. A Specialized executive said it was by mutual agreement.
"This case has been resolved to the mutual satisfaction of both parties," said Sam Benedict, Specialized's global leader in the mountain category.
In the complaint Parenti had said she "endured a hostile work environment where women were treated as less competent than men and, worse still, as sexual playthings for upper management." She was among the Specialized employees laid off in April as the company cut costs in the early days of the pandemic lock-downs.
Specialized's initial statement to BRAIN about the case was to say that the company "is an Equal Opportunity employer that proactively strives for equity, diversity, and inclusion within our workplace. We take matters related to these issues seriously, but we cannot comment on pending litigation at this time."
The U.S. District Court in Connecticut, where the case was filed, issued an order dismissing the case Thursday morning. Both sides have agreed to bear their own legal costs.
