Constangy partner and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion practice co-chair Cara Crotty was recently quoted in a Legal Dive article entitled, "Court tosses journalists’ ‘reverse discrimination’ challenge to Gannett’s diversity policy."
Since the Supreme Court's 2023 ruling in Students for Fair Admissions v. President and Fellows of Harvard College, there have been numerous challenges to organizations' diversity, equity, and inclusion policies. In one of the first cases filed after the SFFA decision, five former Gannett employees alleged that the publisher's diversity policy caused them to be discriminated against because they were white. Earlier this month, a Virginia federal district court dismissed the case, stating that simply having a diversity policy is insufficient evidence of reverse discrimination. The article cites Cara's September 11th post on Constangy's FOCUS blog, entitled "Federal court dismisses one of first post-SFFA lawsuits alleging “reverse” discrimination," which details the case and the court's decision to dismiss it.
Read the full article on Legal Dive here.
Cara Crotty is a partner, head of Constangy's Columbia, SC office, and co-chair of the firm's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and Affirmative Action/OFCCP Compliance practice groups. Cara advises employers on avoiding litigation and defends against claims of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation. She assists federal contractors with affirmative action compliance, prepares pay equity analyses, and represents employers in compliance evaluations. Cara regularly speaks and conducts training on these topics. Before joining Constangy, she worked for the U.S. Department of Labor.