America First Legal (AFL) has achieved a significant legal development in its lawsuit against International Business Machine Corporation (IBM). The U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan denied IBM's motion to dismiss the case, which alleges that the company engaged in illegal race and sex discrimination, violating Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
The lawsuit was initiated by AFL in August 2024, claiming that IBM systematically discriminated against white male employees. The suit also states that an AFL client, who had received excellent performance reviews, was terminated to meet IBM's diversity, equity, and inclusion quotas based on race and sex.
In its decision, the court noted that "Dill has alleged sufficient facts to support the elements of a 'reverse discrimination' claim," involving adverse employment actions motivated by race or gender. It further concluded that accepting Dill's allegations as true suggests IBM's Diversity Policy may have encouraged managers to discriminate against white males. The court stated that Dill provided enough facts for viable claims of race and gender discrimination against IBM. Consequently, it denied IBM’s motion to dismiss the complaint.
This is AFL's second legal action against IBM over alleged discriminatory employment practices. In May 2024, AFL filed a lawsuit against Red Hat, an IBM subsidiary, accusing it of civil rights violations through discriminatory employment and termination practices targeting white males.
AFL remains dedicated to holding IBM accountable for what it describes as unlawful discrimination and intends to challenge similar DEI policies within corporate America.
Andrew Block, Senior Counsel at America First Legal, expressed determination regarding the case: “We look forward to continuing to litigate this case and fight for justice on behalf of our client,” said Andrew Block.