Gannett, the biggest newspaper publisher, faces discrimination lawsuit from white employees.

Gannett⁣ Faces ‌Lawsuit Alleging Discrimination ⁤in Newsrooms

Gannett Co Inc, the largest U.S. newspaper publisher, is facing a lawsuit ​claiming its efforts to‍ diversify newsrooms led to discrimination against⁤ white workers.

The proposed class action was filed in Virginia ⁤federal court on Friday by five current and former ‌Gannett employees who say they were fired or passed over for promotions⁢ to make room for less-qualified women and ⁢minorities.

The plaintiffs say those decisions were driven by ⁢a policy announced in 2020 under which ​Gannett aims to have its newsrooms reflect the ⁣demographics of the ‌communities they cover by 2025.

Gannett has also⁢ tied executive bonuses and promotions to success meeting the goals​ outlined ​in the policy, according to the lawsuit.

“Gannett ⁤executed their reverse race discrimination policy with a callous indifference towards civil rights ‌laws or the welfare of the workers, and prospective workers, whose lives would be ⁢upended ⁢by it,” the plaintiffs said in the lawsuit.

Polly Grunfeld‍ Sack, Virginia-based Gannett’s chief legal ⁣counsel, said the company ​always⁢ seeks to recruit and ​retain the ⁢most qualified workers.

“We ⁣will vigorously defend our practice of ensuring equal opportunities for all our‌ valued employees ​against this⁣ meritless lawsuit,” Sack said in ‍a statement.

The lawsuit ⁢comes amid growing⁤ backlash ‌to increasingly prevalent corporate ⁢diversity policies. Unlike other pending cases brought by ‍conservative groups, the claims⁤ against Gannett were filed directly by the‍ company’s ⁣employees.

The Washington Free Beacon reported last month that ‍discriminatory fellowships and ‍programs,⁢ which companies often establish on the basis of elite law ⁢firms’ “civil rights” advice, are now prime targets for legal scrutiny since the⁢ Supreme⁢ Court struck ​down affirmative⁤ action in college admissions in June.

These programs “are lawsuits waiting to happen,” Noah Peters, the former solicitor ‍of the Federal Labor Relations ⁢Authority, told the Free Beacon.

Law schools are ​also gearing up for a fight ⁢over their policies to boost diversity. Top law school administrators from‌ the University of California⁣ Berkeley and the University ​of Michigan last month huddled​ to discuss how to protect those programs. They ‍suggested ‌schools ⁤take steps to avoid creating a “record” of “discriminatory intent.”

Starbucks‌ Corp, Target Corp, and Progressive Insurance are​ among the companies that have faced ‍shareholder lawsuits‍ challenging diversity programs. A⁤ group founded by former Trump administration officials has‍ filed more than a dozen complaints with a federal ⁣anti-bias agency⁣ accusing ‍large companies‌ of⁣ discriminating against white and male ‌workers.

On Tuesday, a group formed by conservative ⁢activist Edward Blum, who spearheaded the Supreme Court ⁢case, sued two major U.S. ‍law firms over fellowships they offer to racial minorities and LGBT people.

The lawsuit against Gannett notes⁤ that the Supreme Court said ​in the‌ decision that “eliminating​ racial discrimination means eliminating‌ all of it.”

In⁢ the lawsuit, plaintiff Steven Bradley says he was fired ‌from a management job‌ at the Democrat and Chronicle⁢ newspaper in Rochester,⁣ New York, and then passed over for a different position with ⁢Gannett because he is​ white.

Bradley in ‌April filed a⁤ similar​ lawsuit‍ against Gannett in New York state court. ‍The status of that case ⁢was unclear.

Another plaintiff,⁣ Logan ‌Barry, says he was in line for promotion to⁤ a leadership position at the Progress-Index in‍ Petersburg, Virginia. ‍After Gannett acquired the newspaper ‍in 2019, the⁣ job went ⁢to a Black woman ⁢with fewer qualifications, according to the lawsuit.

The plaintiffs accused Gannett of ​violating ⁢a⁣ federal law prohibiting ‌race discrimination in‌ contracts. They are seeking to require Gannett to eliminate the 2020 policy, along with lost pay and⁤ benefits and⁣ other money damages.

(Reporting by Daniel ⁤Wiessner in Albany, New⁢ York, Editing by Alexia ‌Garamfalvi and Daniel ​Wallis)