The New York Times faces a discrimination lawsuit claiming racial bias against a white man

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission claims the New York Times engaged in  “unlawful employment practices.”

This week, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against The New York Times, claiming the paper engaged in “unlawful employment practices” and discriminated against a white male employee who was passed over for a promotion.

Filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York on Tuesday, the lawsuit centers a deputy real estate editor role the unnamed employee applied for in 2025. The EEOC claims the publication’s “stated race and sex-based representation goals influenced the decision not to advance” the man’s candidacy.

“The allegation centers on a single personnel decision for one of over 100 deputy positions across the newsroom, yet the E.E.O.C.’s filing makes sweeping claims that ignore the facts to fit a predetermined narrative,” said Danielle Rhoades Ha, a spokeswoman for The Times. “Neither race nor gender played a role in this decision — we hired the most qualified candidate, and she is an excellent editor.”

The complaint references internal Times diversity and inclusion reports, including a 2021 “Call to Action” that set goals to increase the number of Black and Latino employees. It also cites Slack exchanges between newsroom leaders about diversity hiring trends, and internal correspondence related to the specific hiring process at issue.

According to The Times, those materials were handed over to the EEOC voluntarily during the investigation that preceded the lawsuit. The publication also said the job listing specifically sought someone with experience in service journalism which the person who got the job had, along with supervisory experience. Additionally, the newspaper says the deputy real estate editor’s role was not within the scope of its diversity goals

“Our employment practices are merit-based and focused on recruiting and promoting the best talent in the world,” Rhoades Ha added.  

“No one is above the law — including ‘elite’ institutions,” said EEOC Chair Lucas 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 E.E.O.C. is prepared to root out discrimination anywhere it may rear its head.”

The New York Times is the latest target in the Trump administration’s anti-DEI push. In February, the EEOC issued a subpoena investigating Nike’s diversity policies, claiming they’re discriminating against white workers, months after Lucas, the EEOC’s Trump-appointed chair, launched an investigation into the diversity, equity, and inclusion practices of 20 major law firms. Similarly, in December 2025, Lucas posted a PSA on X, encouraging white males who have “experienced discrimination at work based on your race or sex” to file claims “to recover money under federal civil rights laws.”

Ultimately, the lawsuit asks the court to issue an injunction barring the Times from “discriminating against employees because of race or sex,” along with back pay for the complainant. Rhodes Ha says the publication plans to vigorously defend itself against these claims.

“The New York Times categorically rejects the politically motivated allegations brought by the Trump administration’s E.E.O.C.,” she noted. 

However, the implications of this case go far beyond one editor and one job posting. If this lawsuit succeeds, it doesn’t just chill diversity hiring at the Times, but also sends a message to every newsroom in the country about what happens when you try.