When word broke of The New York Times discrimination lawsuit last month, it appears that it wasn’t a new occurrence.
Two African-American females who are both in their 60s filed a lawsuit against the newspaper, claiming that they have been discriminated against because they were not the paper’s “ideal staffer.” The ideal, according to the lawsuit, is said to be white, young and without a family.
For one woman, the lawsuit brings back memories of when she was the first black style editor. She said that because she was black and female, she was discriminated against. Some examples she gave included not being invited to the meetings that involved all of the top editors and being demoted to being fired. She filed a lawsuit, too, but it was settled outside of court.
The very first discrimination lawsuit against the paper was filed in 1971. It involved minority employees. The paper’s Washington bureau’s only black reporter didn’t know much about another lawsuit filed in 1974, which involved women only. In 1977, the reporter was told that if he and another black employee who was on the editorial board became part of the lawsuit, the newspaper would take them seriously.
The women’s lawsuit was settled for $350,000, which the paper’s black employees thought was far too little for the 550 women involved. The minority employees’ suit was finally settled for $1.5 million. Part of that money went to the 75-member class and the rest was used for things like training and scholarships.
The two women who filed this latest lawsuit have named people who they feel is responsible for age, sex and race discrimination, which is something the other lawsuits didn’t do.
For those that feel they have been subjected to workplace discrimination, you can learn more from an experienced attorney. There are state and federal laws that prohibit discrimination in the workplace and explain what types of behavior to which you should not be subjected.
Source: The Root, “Claims of Racial, Gender Discrimination at NY Times Nothing New, According to Former Staffer,” Paul Delaney, May 10, 2016
