The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed a lawsuit on Tuesday accusing The New York Times of violating federal civil rights law by allegedly discriminating against a job candidate based on race and sex.
According to the complaint, which was filed in federal court in Manhattan, the agency claims the newspaper passed over a white male applicant for a senior editorial role in favor of another candidate who allegedly had less relevant experience. The position involved a deputy editor role tied to real estate coverage.
The lawsuit alleges that the candidate who was not selected had substantial experience covering real estate—a requirement explicitly listed for the job—and further claims hiring procedures were altered during the selection process, enabling a candidate without that specific background to be chosen.
“Federal law is clear: making hiring or promotion decisions motivated in whole or in part by race or sex violates federal law. There is no diversity exception to this rule,” EEOC Chair Andrea Lucas stated in a complaint filing.
The complaint also references internal diversity initiatives at The New York Times, including a 2021 effort aimed at increasing representation of people of color and women in leadership positions. Federal officials allege such efforts may have influenced the hiring decision in ways that violated equal employment laws.
In response, a spokesperson for The New York Times rejected the allegations and defended the company’s hiring practices: “Our employment practices are merit-based and focused on recruiting and promoting the best talent in the world,” the spokesperson said. “We will defend ourselves vigorously. Neither race nor gender played a role in this decision—we hired the most qualified candidate, and she is an excellent editor.”
The lawsuit seeks court-ordered changes to The New York Times’ hiring policies and potential damages for the candidate who was not selected.
