Messina joined Bank of America in 2007 and was promoted to managing director in 2011, according to the lawsuit. Bank of America executive Megan Smith is suing her employer for gender discrimination after alleging that a male colleague in an equivalent position to her own received a $ 5.5 m bonus in 2015 whilst her own bonus was $ 1.6 m . Messina has referred to a “ bros club ” at the bank – one of the largest in the US – that viewed women as “ second - class citizens ” . Nonprofit group Catalyst states that just 2 % of financial industry CEOs , and 29 % of executives , are women . Bank of America claims that 30 % of its senior roles , and 40 % of all of its positions , are occupied by women . Messina , who claims that her employers attempted to force her to leave after she raised concerns , has also lodged complaints with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Department of Labor .
Bank of America executive Megan Smith is suing her employer for gender discrimination after alleging that a male colleague in an equivalent position to her own received a $ 5.5 m bonus in 2015 whilst her own bonus was $ 1.6 m . Messina has referred to a “ bros club ” at the bank – one of the largest in the US – that viewed women as “ second - class citizens ” . Nonprofit group Catalyst states that just 2 % of financial industry CEOs , and 29 % of executives , are women . Bank of America claims that 30 % of its senior roles , and 40 % of all of its positions , are occupied by women . Messina , who claims that her employers attempted to force her to leave after she raised concerns , has also lodged complaints with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Department of Labor .