Metro

Merrill bias suit: Women employees claim they were given book urging them to ‘stroke men’s egos’ to advance

Female trainees at Merrill Lynch’s flagship Manhattan office were given copies of “Seducing the Boys Club: Uncensored Tactics From a Woman at the Top” by their boss — who also ordered them to attend a talk with the author, three former employees claim in a bias lawsuit.

The author encourages women “to stroke men’s egos with flattery and manipulation in order to succeed in a male-dominated environment such as Merrill Lynch,” the suit states.

Author Nina DiSesa was the first female chairwoman of the marketing firm McCann Erickson, whose clients include American Airlines and Weight Watchers.

Branch manager Joe Mattia endorsed DiSesa’s unorthodox get-ahead approach including flirting and sugarcoating criticism of male co-workers with flattery, the court documents filed in Manhattan Supreme Court allege. She also encourages women to behave like a “little sister” or a “den mother” in the office.

The three female plaintiffs — Sara Hunter Hudson, Julia Kuo and Catherine Wharton — claim they were terminated in January 2009 after a brief, seven-month stint at Merrill because the financial firm favored men in the “old boys’ network.”

Kuo and Wharton “considered the message of the book to be highly offensive,” according to the legal papers, because it “advocated conforming to gender stereotypes to get ahead in the workplace.”

They were also pressured to attend gals-only events on topics like “dressing for success” and “preparing healthy meals while working full-time.”

Mattia also allegedly told the trainees to answer phones, even though men weren’t given the same responsibilities.

They were then reprimanded for not being “perky” or “bubbly” enough with customers. Mattia was fired in December 2008.

A sales manager named Joel Meshel allegedly told Hudson to “stick to her knitting” when she brought them a business venture.

The women are suing for an unspecified sum. They declined to comment.

A similar suit against Merrill Lynch in federal court was tossed in January. But attorneys for the women said they’ve refiled the claims in state court, which follows broader discrimination laws.

A Merrill spokesman said, “Diversity and inclusivity are part of our culture and core values.”

Additional reporting by Sabrina Ford