White Seattle City Worker Files ‘Reverse’ Discrimination Lawsuit

According to court papers, the worker has filed an anti-discrimination lawsuit that also alleged a hostile work environment by the city of Seattle.

The worker has been with the city since 2013

According to US District Court for Western Washington (Federal) court papers, and MyNorthwest.com, the suit claims ever since the man began working for the city he faced discrimination that led to a "negative impact on his physical and mental health."

Joshua Diemert began working in the Seattle City Human Services Department and even won the department's "Maximum Achievement" Award in his first year. The court papers state:

"Mr. Diemert quickly developed good relationships across several City departments and excelled. During his first year, he received the HSD’s “maximum achievement” award. But alongside that positive experience, Mr. Diemert began to understand that his race would negatively impact not only his day-to-day work life, but his opportunities for career advancement."

Among the complaints made in the court papers:

"The City routinely urged Mr. Diemert to join race-based affinity groups and required him to participate in training sessions that demeaned and degraded him based on his racial and ethnic identity. He was chastised and punished for combatting racially discriminatory hiring practices by HSD colleagues..."

Numerous other allegations are made in the filings, MyNorthwest.com reports The Pacific Legal Foundation filed a lawsuit based upon Title VII of the Civil Rights Act and the statute in WA that enforces the title.

The city tried to argue the PLF did not file the suit within the required timeframe, but PLF attorneys argued using older incidents was part of establishing a timeframe of the discriminatory behavior. MyNorthwest.com says the suit is expected to go to trial in early 2024.