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New York Times She filed counterclaims against the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which is suing the news organization for allegedly discriminating against a white male employee by passing him over for a promotion.
“The Commission has deviated significantly from its normal practices in almost every respect to file lawsuits against The Times, a frequent target of the Administration, in the wake of investigative reports that highlighted harsh bipartisan criticism of the EEOC, its leadership, and its priorities from inside and outside the Commission,” the complaint filed Friday in federal court in New York said.
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission began the legal battle in May when it charged times To implement employment targets based on race and sex that favor minorities and women in violation of civil rights laws. The government is seeking a court order prohibiting the company from implementing its diversity, equity and inclusion policies, as well as unspecified damages to the unnamed employee.
The employee, Bryant Russo, allegedly lost his job as deputy real estate editor to a multiracial woman, who allegedly had no experience covering the field, according to the complaint. The EEOC said none of the final four candidates were white men.
In her complaint, she said: times The committee is accused of filing the lawsuit in retaliation for its reports violating the First Amendment. The newspaper says the EEOC omitted details it learned during an eight-month investigation, undermining Russo’s allegations of discrimination, including offers for two more jobs in 2024 that aligned with his career goals.
“The Committee brought this suit against The Times anyway to retaliate against an organization that the administration has repeatedly described as an ‘enemy,’” Ted Boutros, the newspaper’s attorney, wrote in the lawsuit. “The facts here preclude any claim that Russo was discriminated against.”
Unlike Russo, the candidate selected for the position has extensive experience in service journalism and a variety of story formats that were emphasized in the job posting, according to the complaint. She also articulated a vision for future real estate coverage that aligns with the department’s goals of focusing on service and visual journalism. Before joining timesShe was an editor at Eater, where she edited influential features.
Separately, the news organization also says its hiring process is consistent with guidance from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which encourages initiatives related to diversity, equity and inclusion.
After the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed a lawsuit against timesCommissioner Kalpana Kotagal said in a social media post that she voted against greenlighting the lawsuit because she was concerned that the case was “motivated not on the merits, but rather by a desire to advance the administration’s political agenda.” “It is noteworthy that this lawsuit was filed in the wake of a New York Times report on the weaponization of the agency, diverting limited resources toward issues that align with the administration’s priorities,” she added.
the times Files claims of retaliation in violation of the First Amendment, among other things. She is seeking a court order prohibiting the EEOC from continuing to pursue her lawsuit.
