Dodgers DEI policies subject of federal civil rights complaint
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LOS ANGELES - A conservative legal group, America First Legal (AFL), has filed a federal civil rights complaint against the Los Angeles Dodgers and their investment firm, Guggenheim Partners.
What we know:
America First Legal, founded by White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, filed a federal civil rights complaint on Monday with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).
The complaint targets the Los Angeles Dodgers and Guggenheim Partners, an investment firm also led by Mark Walter, the Dodgers' majority owner.
AFL asserts that these organizations are engaging in unlawful discrimination by allowing race, color, and sex to influence employment decisions, thereby violating Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
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According to AFL, the Dodgers' own website indicates a commitment to "unlawfully considering immutable characteristics." This includes sponsoring programs for women and people of color, and integrating DEI strategies into all aspects of the organization, with "quantifiable ways with identifiable goals to achieve success."
AFL's complaint specifically points to various Business Resource Groups within the Dodgers organization, which provide employees with forums based on shared interests, identities, or social issues.
AFL alleges that some of these groups appear to offer benefits based on racial, ethnic, and sex identities. Examples cited include:
The Asian Professionals employee group: Aims "to empower our Asian employees."
The Black Action Network group: Seeks to "foster the growth, development, and well-being of the Dodger Black community that will ultimately result in opportunities for Black people on the field, in the stands, and in the front office, building upon our proud history of diversity."
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The SOMOS LA group: Appears to provide Latino employees with employment benefits. Its mission "is to ensure organizational representation and promote resources for professional development, business support, and community outreach that advances and empowers the Latinx community."
The Dodgers have not yet responded to requests for comment regarding the complaint.
The backstory:
On June 20, the Dodgers committed $1 million in collaboration with the City of Los Angeles to support immigrant families experiencing economic hardship.
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This pledge followed social media criticism directed at the team for its silence amidst ongoing federal immigration enforcement activities in the region.
What they're saying:
America First Legal stated in their complaint that the Dodgers "admit to incorporating DEI into the organization in quantifiable ways with identifiable goals to achieve ‘success,’ that DEI is a core component of the team's mission."
The Source: This article's information is directly derived from a federal civil rights complaint filed by America First Legal (AFL) with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Details about the Dodgers' alleged practices and their Business Resource Groups are based on AFL's claims and quoted statements from the complaint, while background context on the Dodgers' recent community pledge is also included.