The New York Times is facing a federal lawsuit after a US civil rights agency accused it of discriminating against a white male employee in a promotion decision, according to a complaint filed in Manhattan federal court.
The case was brought by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), which claims the newspaper violated civil rights law by selecting a less experienced multiracial woman for a deputy editor role instead of a qualified white male candidate.
The agency said the decision amounted to "reverse discrimination" based on race and sex.
According to the lawsuit, the male employee had worked at the Times since 2014 and had strong experience in real estate journalism.
The EEOC said the job posting listed real estate editing as a key requirement, but the man was not advanced in the hiring process.
The complaint also alleges that a hiring leader at the newspaper "deviated from normal hiring protocol" during the selection process in early 2025, NY Post reported.
It claims the final candidate chosen did not have direct experience in real estate reporting, though she was ultimately appointed deputy real estate editor.
New York Times Sued by U.S. Agency Over Alleged Discrimination Against White Male Employee https://t.co/B92FGbLYtw
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EEOC Accuses New York Times of Hiring Bias
The EEOC said the hiring decision reflected broader diversity goals at the newspaper.
According to AP News, the agency pointed to the Times' 2021 "Call To Action" initiative, which aimed to increase representation of women and people of color in leadership roles.
The EEOC argued that such policies influenced hiring outcomes in this case.
In response, the Times strongly denied any wrongdoing. A spokesperson said the lawsuit was "politically motivated" and insisted the newsroom's hiring is based on merit.
"Neither race nor gender played a role in this decision – we hired the most qualified candidate, and she is an excellent editor," the statement said. The company also said it would defend itself vigorously in court.
EEOC Chair Andrea Lucas said the agency is committed to enforcing workplace laws fairly.
She stated that "there is no such thing as 'reverse discrimination'," arguing that all race or sex discrimination is equally illegal under federal law.
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