CNN and its parent company Turner are accused of systematically discriminating against African American employees, according to a class action lawsuit filed Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia.
“This system prevents qualified African-Americans from competing equally for positions or even knowing that they are available,” the suit claims.
Atlanta attorney Daniel Meachum is representing two plaintiffs, Celeslie Henley, a former executive administrative assistant at CNN, and Ernest Colbert Jr., whose LinkedIn page lists him as a senior programming manager at TBS, according to adweek.com.
“African-Americans, especially African-American males, have historically received the lowest performance ratings than their Caucasians counterparts,” the suit reads.
“This is not some overly-sensitive black person with a chip on their shoulder and thinking that you owe them something,” Meachum said at a news conference this morning. “I was raised that if you get an education and you work hard, you get rewards,” he added.
“There are zero African-American males or African American females with the job title of vice president or high at CNN,” the suit says.
CNN has yet to comment.