Seattle to Face Worker Suit Over Racial and Social Justice Push

A White employee can pursue his lawsuit alleging Seattle’s city-wide Racial and Social Justice Initiative made his race an “albatross around his neck,” spurred bigoted comments from managers and colleagues, and forced him to resign.

Joshua Diemert’s race discrimination and harassment claims under federal and state law mostly cleared the low bar to survive the city’s motion to dismiss, according to the Monday ruling by the US District Court for the Western District of Washington.

Diemert sued the city alleging the program requires race-based thinking and decision-making and is applied differently depending on whether a worker is put into the ...