America First Legal Joins Lawsuit Against Expedia for Discrimination
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, America First Legal (AFL) and Cooper & Kirk announced their participation in a lawsuit against Expedia, Inc., on behalf of a plaintiff who alleges he was illegally discriminated against in hiring due to being a white male.
The plaintiff reportedly advanced through the hiring process and received an oral offer of employment. He was informed that he was the “top pick” among all job candidates and was sent benefit information in preparation for his written offer. However, the written offer never materialized. After months of delay attributed to internal reorganization, Expedia reopened the job search and began interviewing other applicants.
The plaintiff underwent another round of interviews, including traveling to New York to meet with senior leadership. The “Chief People, Diversity, and Inclusion” officer canceled his meeting with the plaintiff twice. The Senior Vice President of Talent Acquisition communicated to the plaintiff that the unusual handling of his candidacy stemmed from Michael David Velasco’s desire to hire a “diverse candidate” for the role.
Ultimately, Expedia hired a last-minute internal referral candidate described as “diverse.” The plaintiff in this case is a white male.
Gene Hamilton, America First Legal Executive Director, Executive Vice President, and General Counsel stated: "We are proud to join this important case to fight for the rights of our client and all Americans to be treated equally and judged based on merit–not arbitrarily discriminated against because of their race. Federal law makes clear that no discrimination means no discrimination, and we look forward to fighting for our client’s civil rights."