Lawyer Sues NYC for Race, Gender Bias (1)

A former New York City agency attorney is suing the city and its Department of Buildings, alleging they violated race and gender bias laws by allowing a supervisor to subject her to racial slurs and other discriminatory acts and speech.

Shelia Cockburn claims her supervisor directed hostile racial speech toward her and other Black colleagues, including speaking in “Ebonics” and using a close variation of the N-word, in violation of federal, New York state, and city laws, according to her complaint filed Wednesday with the US District Court for the Southern District of New York.

Cockburn, a Black woman, worked ...