The U.S. government has filed a discrimination lawsuit against The New York Times, alleging the company's diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies led to illegal bias against a White male employee.
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EEOC Sues New York Times for 1 Editor Snub, Alleging DEI Bias
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) sued The New York Times on Tuesday, alleging the publisher violated federal civil rights law when it denied a promotion to a White male editor, citing the company's own diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) goals as a motivating factor.
"No one is above the law — including 'elite' institutions," EEOC Chair Andrea Lucas said in a statement. "There is no such thing as 'reverse discrimination'; all race or sex discrimination is equally unlawful, according to long-established civil rights principles."
The lawsuit, filed in the Southern District of New York, claims the Times passed over a longtime internal editor with extensive real estate journalism experience for a deputy real estate editor role in early 2025. The company instead hired an external non-White female candidate who the EEOC alleges had "little to no experience in real estate journalism," a supposed requirement for the position.
The suit escalates a months-long investigation and places corporate DEI initiatives under federal scrutiny, seeking a court order against the Times' practices, plus back pay, punitive damages, and a promotion for the employee. The case tests the legal boundaries of DEI policies and could have broad implications for how companies pursue diversity goals.
Times Rejects "Politically Motivated" Allegations
The New York Times issued a sharp rebuttal, dismissing the lawsuit as a politically motivated attack from the Trump administration. "Our employment practices are merit-based and focused on recruiting and promoting the best talent in the world," Danielle Rhoades Ha, a spokesperson for the Times, said in a statement. "We will defend ourselves vigorously."
The company argues the EEOC's filing focuses on a single personnel decision for one of over 100 deputy editor positions to make "sweeping claims that ignore the facts to fit a predetermined narrative." According to the Times, neither race nor gender influenced the decision, and the company hired the "most qualified candidate."
A Lawsuit Reflecting Political Divisions
The legal challenge arrives in a politically charged environment, with the Trump administration actively questioning DEI programs across public and private sectors. The lawsuit alleges that the Times' stated goals to increase non-White and female representation in leadership positions, as outlined in a 2021 "Call to Action," created a discriminatory environment. "A necessary consequence of NYT’s intent to increase the percentage of non-White leaders would be a decrease in the percentage of White leaders,” the government's lawsuit alleged.
The decision to sue was not unanimous within the EEOC. Kalpana Kotagal, the commission’s sole Democratic appointee, publicly dissented, stating she feared the litigation was "driven not by the merits, but by a desire to advance the administration’s political agenda." The lawsuit follows recent reporting by the Times itself that EEOC field staff felt pressured to bring "politically charged cases, even with little evidence." This case, filed directly by the EEOC rather than the individual employee, could become a landmark test for the future of corporate diversity programs under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.
[1] Trump Administration Sues New York Times Over Claim It Discriminated Against White Man[2] New York Times sued by federal government over alleged 'DEI-related' employment...[3] Trump’s EEOC sues New York Times, alleging discrimination against a White male e...[4] EEOC sues New York Times, alleging bias against White male worker[5] Federal discrimination watchdog sues New York Times for editor snub
