The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission sued The New York Times on Tuesday, escalating a months-long investigation into the newsroom and advancing a discrimination case the paper has cast as politically motivated.
The lawsuit, filed in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York, was brought on behalf of a White male employee who claims he was denied a promotion because of his race and gender.
“As a White male,” the unidentified employee “did not match the race and/or sex characteristics NYT sought to increase in its leadership through its diversity actions and aspirations,” the EEOC claims.
“The selected candidate’s race (multiracial) and/or her sex (female) factored into NYT’s decision to advance her to the final interview panel,” the lawsuit adds.
The complaint seeks a court order barring the Times from discriminating on the basis of race or sex, as well as back pay with interest, compensation for “emotional pain” and “mental anguish,” and punitive damages for alleged “malicious and/or reckless conduct.” It also seeks either a promotion to deputy editor or front pay.
