(Republicaninformer.com)- A former Seattle city employee filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the city alleging that he was a victim of anti-white discrimination due to a “racially hostile work environment.”
Joshua Diemert, who worked in Seattle’s Department of Human Services as a program intake representative from 2013 to 2021, filed suit last month against the city and Seattle Mayor Bruce Harnell, claiming he was belittled and harassed at work because he is white. Diemert alleges that he was denied advancement opportunities and faced retaliation due to his skin color.
In his complaint, Diemert alleges that the city’s Race and Social Justice Initiative (RSJI) was responsible for the anti-white culture he experienced at work.
According to the city’s government website, RSJI seeks to “end institutionalized racism and race-based disparities in City government.
The lawsuit states that Diemert was required to participate in training sessions that “demeaned and degraded him based on his racial and ethnic identity.” According to the complaint he faced punishment after “combating racially discriminatory hiring practices” by colleagues in the Department of Human Services.
In his complaint, Diemert accuses his supervisors and colleagues of dismissing his concerns for years, telling him that he couldn’t be a victim of racial discrimination because of his “white privilege.”
According to the lawsuit, the city refused to take action despite Diemert repeatedly reporting incidents of discrimination. Eventually, the problems caused Diemert to quit his job.
He is suing Seattle for alleged violations of the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment as well as Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.”
Diemert is seeking compensatory and punitive damages of $300,000 for loss of salary as well as mental pain and suffering.
Pacific Legal Foundation announced it was representing Diemart pro-bono.
In a press release, Pacific Legal attorney Laura D’Agostino accused the City of Seattle of “encouraging racial discrimination through its Race and Social Justice Initiative.”
