Latest news with #racialdiscrimination
New York Times
6 hours ago
- New York Times
Southwest Passenger Says She Was Ejected From Flight Based on Her Race
A Black woman who was ejected from a Southwest Airlines flight in November said in a federal lawsuit filed on Thursday that she was targeted based on her race. The woman, Briana Hicks, a pharmacist from Chicago, boarded a Southwest flight from Chicago Midway International Airport to Ronald Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 20 and sat in an exit row. When the flight attendant began briefing the passengers in the row about emergency procedures, Dr. Hicks put her phone on airplane mode and then placed it facedown in her lap, the lawsuit said. The flight attendant then singled her out for being on her phone and berated her repeatedly, the lawsuit claimed, and later demanded that she be removed from the aircraft when she reported his behavior to two other attendants. She was rebooked on a flight that landed in Washington four hours after her original arrival time, according to the lawsuit. The suit, filed in Chicago, said that the other passengers in the exit row appeared to be white and that one asked the flight attendant, who was also white, why he was pointing out the actions of the only Black passenger seated there, seeing as others in the exit row were on their phones and laptops as well. 'Being singled out for mistreatment based on my race was painful enough; enduring that discrimination on top of being publicly removed from a flight and having my entire travel schedule derailed was almost unbearable,' Dr. Hicks said in a statement. According to the lawsuit, Dr. Hicks was the only Black person sitting in the exit row. After loudly and repeatedly asking Dr. Hicks to put her phone away, the flight attendant was confronted by the white passenger, who informed him that Dr. Hicks was listening and had put her phone down. After the briefing, the attendant returned to the front of the plane, at which point Dr. Hicks went to the back of the plane to report what had happened to two flight attendants, who informed her they could not do anything about the other attendant's behavior, according to the lawsuit. When the attendant who had confronted Dr. Hicks called the back of the plane on the aircraft's internal telephone system, one of the flight attendants there informed him that Dr. Hicks was 'back here talking about the disrespect she experienced,' the lawsuit said. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
South China Morning Post
2 days ago
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Facing racial discrimination in Hong Kong? Here's what you need to know
A former HSBC employee last week sued the bank for alleged racial discrimination, maintaining that he was ultimately sacked, among other instances of mistreatment, because of his black heritage, bringing the topic into the media spotlight. Advertisement Former senior business analyst Robert Ngugi Tomkinson claimed an unspecified amount of damages for reputational damage, emotional distress and financial loss from HSBC Global Services (Hong Kong), with the legal action under the Race Discrimination Ordinance to commence at the District Court on Friday. The Post breaks down what sort of protections Hong Kong offers against racial discrimination and looks at the challenges of trying to prove race-related unfair treatment. 1. What is the basis for Tomkinson's lawsuit? According to the writ, Tomkinson became the subject of 'sustained and differential treatment' after the arrival of a new manager in April 2024, prompting him to file a formal internal complaint five months later. In the writ, he alleged that he faced a bonus reduction, poor performance review and an early redundancy due to discrimination. An earlier internal investigation by the bank partially upheld Tomkinson's complaint after finding his manager had acted 'inappropriately', including disclosing his performance status to irrelevant third parties. Advertisement But the bank had said the probe also did not find signs of racial discrimination.
Bloomberg
3 days ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
Ex-HSBC Hong Kong Employee Sues Over Racial Discrimination
A former employee of HSBC Holdings Plc in Hong Kong alleges he was racially discriminated against and made redundant after he raised concerns to human resources and senior leadership. Robert Ngugi Tomkinson, previously a senior business analyst with HSBC Global Services (Hong Kong) Ltd., claims that in September 2024, following 'sustained and differential treatment' by a new manager, he raised concerns of racial discrimination that culminated in a formal internal complaint, according to a claim filed with the district court in Hong Kong.
South China Morning Post
4 days ago
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Sacked HSBC analyst sues bank for alleged racial discrimination
A former HSBC employee in Hong Kong has sued the bank for alleged racial discrimination, maintaining that he was excluded from meetings, had his bonuses reduced and was ultimately sacked because of his black heritage. Advertisement Former senior business analyst Robert Ngugi Tomkinson claimed an unspecified amount of damages for reputational damage, emotional distress and financial loss against HSBC Global Services (Hong Kong) in the legal action commenced at the District Court on Friday under the Race Discrimination Ordinance. The former employee said he had consistently displayed professional conduct in his position and received favourable annual ratings since joining the bank in November 2019. According to the writ, which the Post inspected on Monday, the claimant became the subject of 'sustained and differential treatment' since the arrival of a new manager in April 2024, prompting him to file a formal internal complaint five months later. On February 11 this year, an internal investigation partially upheld Tomkinson's complaint after finding his manager had acted 'inappropriately', including disclosing his performance status to irrelevant third parties. Advertisement The bank said the investigation had not uncovered any signs of racial discrimination.
CBS News
7 days ago
- CBS News
Miami Gardens police chief denies racial bias claims in five Hispanic officers' lawsuit
Miami Gardens Police Chief Delma Noel-Pratt is rejecting allegations from five Hispanic officers who claim they were subjected to racial discrimination over three years. "I want to make it absolutely clear that these allegations are without merit," Noel-Pratt said on Thursday. "Every decision I make, as difficult as it may be, is rooted in operational necessity and not personal bias. I do not operate in isolation." The officers — Sgt. Pedro Valdez and Officers Juan Gonzalez, Francisco Mejia, Rudy Hernandez, and Christian Vega — are represented by attorney Mike Pizzi, who announced on Wednesday his intent to file a federal lawsuit against the city. He stated that the officers were unfairly demoted, transferred, and disciplined without cause. Noel-Pratt said one officer was reassigned from a temporary federal detachment, which is not a guaranteed position. Another was transferred based on staffing needs and departmental goals. "These decisions are not made lightly and they are certainly not based on race or ethnicity," she said. Noel-Pratt said calls for her resignation are "misguided and misplaced," and noted that City Manager Cameron Benson has reaffirmed his support for her leadership. CBS News Miami reached out to Benson for comment but has not received a response. The city issued a statement Thursday saying it would not comment on the officers' claims due to pending litigation. Pizzi said he stands by the allegations and criticized the city and the chief for not addressing the issues. "I plan to file the lawsuit within 30 days and I will see the chief in court," he said. Noel-Pratt, who has led the department since 2017, said she remains committed to fairness and accountability for all employees, regardless of race or background. "My job is to hold every employee accountable to the standards of the profession," she said. "Federal lawsuits come with the title, and I am not afraid of a lawsuit." She spoke at police headquarters flanked by a few dozen officers, along with Miramar Police Chief Delrish Moss and North Miami Police Chief Cherise Gause.
