Marlon McWilliams: Black man files lawsuit against CEO who refused to hire 'white people'
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA: A black executive for the company allegedly got fired for warning his boss that refusing to hire white people in the name of promoting diversity is not the way to go! Marlon McWilliams, who joined Vice President of Employer Partnerships at Climb Hire in September, has filed a lawsuit.
According to New York Post, the company in particular stands out because of its mission, which is to help minorities join the workforce- so much so that the company does not even require a college degree from their applicants.
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McWilliams' time in the company seemed smooth, until one day when his boss, CEO Nitzan Pelman, who is a white female had apparently proclaimed that she, “adamantly refused to hire white people into senior roles at Climb Hire,” during a retreat.
He then proceeded to ask if she meant that she wanted to be someone who was “trying to build a diverse company.” However, Pelman reportedly replied saying, “I know what I am saying, and I know what it means. I will not hire another white person at Climb Hire, especially not in leadership."
McWilliams had apparently tried to reason with the head of the company and tried to tell her that her words were very easily illegal and morally wrong. However, as per the portal, Pelman did not want to agree. The next day, McWilliams was reportedly fired, with no reason or explanation, which prompted him to take the matter to the court. In the lawsuit, he sought damages.
On the other side, Pelman has denied the allegations. She has gone on to state that the allegations against her and her company are ‘completely baseless’ and was also quick to point out that McWilliams’ predecessor and successor are both white. “There’s no basis to it at all. There are many people who work at Climb Hire who are white in leadership,” she said.
Wrongful termination of employees for taking a stand against superiors isn't an uncommon occurrence. In a similar case, London-based finance expert Louise McCabe had also sued her young male boss for age discrimination, citing that he had fired her over a heated exchange at a company meeting. He had apparently gone off about her being a 'menopausal woman.' She had also raised concerns about employee treatment in the company. McCabe successfully defended her claims in the lawsuit and ended up receiving compensation.