A discrimination lawsuit has been filed against CBS Broadcasting and its parent company Paramount Global by former anchor Jeff Vaughn.
Vaughn alleges that his ex-employers have implemented policies that show preference towards hiring individuals from specific groups, while also terminating older, white, heterosexual men.
Former Anchor Jeff Vaughn Sues CBS Broadcasting, Paramount Global
In a lawsuit filed on Monday, July 1, in California federal court, Vaughn claims that he was replaced in 2022 by a news anchor who is younger and belongs to a minority group.
He highlights CBS's commitment to increasing diversity by setting a goal for half of their writers to be nonwhite by 2023. Additionally, they have implemented an initiative to have at least half of the cast members on their reality shows be minorities.
The complaint is requesting a court order to prevent CBS from continuing their alleged discriminatory hiring practices. Additionally, the complaint is seeking for Vaughn to be reinstated in his job at the company, along with a minimum of $5 million in damages, according to Courthouse News Service.
As per the complaint, Vaughn, who had a seven-year tenure at CBS, was informed in 2022 that his contract would not be extended for the upcoming year. According to the individual, they were not given a specific explanation for the decision, but were informed that it was unrelated to the ratings.
According to Vaughn, CBS has supposedly implemented a policy aimed at enhancing diversity within its ranks. The effort intensified significantly when Wendy McMahon, who is mentioned in the complaint, was promoted to president of CBS News and Stations in 2021.
According to the lawsuit, the company allegedly placed a strong emphasis on diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives and made efforts to hire and promote individuals from underrepresented groups for important positions under her guidance.
Previous Complaint Against CBS Broadcasting
According to The Hollywood Reporter, a lawsuit has been filed following a complaint made by Brian Beneker, a script coordinator for SEAL Team.
Beneker claims that he was consistently overlooked for a staff writer position due to a discriminatory policy that favored less qualified candidates from certain groups, including minorities, LGBTQ individuals, and women.
Similar to Beneker, Vaughn is also affiliated with America First Legal Foundation, a conservative organization established by Stephen Miller, a former White House policy adviser during the Trump administration.
An organization has been lodging complaints with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission against well-known companies such as Morgan Stanley, Starbucks, and McDonald's. These complaints pertain to concerns about corporate diversity and hiring practices that are believed to violate civil rights laws.
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