New York Times faces lawsuit for passing over white male employee
AP News • • nation
Key Points:
- The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) filed a discrimination lawsuit against The New York Times, alleging the company passed over a white male employee for a promotion to meet diversity goals, violating Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.
- The lawsuit claims the Times favored a less qualified multiracial female candidate for the deputy real estate editor role, influenced by the organization's public diversity and inclusion policies.
- EEOC Chair Andrea Lucas emphasized that all forms of race or sex discrimination are unlawful, asserting the agency's commitment to enforcing Title VII equally, including protecting white males from alleged reverse discrimination.
- The New York Times denied the allegations, calling the lawsuit politically motivated and stating that race and gender did not factor into the hiring decision, insisting the selected candidate was the most qualified.
- The case highlights ongoing tensions over corporate diversity initiatives, with critics arguing that some diversity policies may unlawfully discriminate against white men, while supporters view such policies as essential to addressing historical workplace inequities.
