Report: 50 Companies Facing DEI Lawsuits [2025]

This research was released on February 17, 2025. The post will be updated as new stories come out.

We’ve reported on companies defending DEI policies and companies ending DEI policies. Now, we’ve done the research on notable companies in legal battles over their DEI policies.

Here are 50 companies in DEI-related legal battles from 2021-2025.

Full list | Downloadable spreadsheet | Fortune 100 DEI Policy Database

👉 The DEI Lawsuit Tracker 👈

Here are 50 notable organizations that have gotten into lawsuits over their DEI policies since 2021. As new announcements come out, we’ll update the report.

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CBS

Case Category: Workplace Discrimination
Status: Ongoing
Date: 1/22/2025
Headquarters: New York

“America First Legal (AFL) sued CBS alleging the company of unlawfully discriminating against the plaintiff (an employee) claiming that he was not considered for a position because he was a straight, white, male. There are two additional workplace discrimination cases currently ongoing with CBS: Vaughn v. CBS Broadcasting, Inc. et al and Brian Beneker v. CBS Studios, Inc. et al.”

McDonald’s

Case Category: Targeted Programs Complaint
Status: Settled
Date: 1/12/2025
Headquarters: Illinois

The American Alliance for Equal Rights (AAFER) filed a lawsuit against McDonald’s challenging the legality of it’s HACER scholarship program claiming that it discriminates against non-Hispanic people.

PayPal

Case Category: Targeted Programs Complaint
Status: Ongoing
Date: 1/1/2025
Headquarters: California

An Asian American businesswoman accused Paypal of racial bias for restricting part of a $535 million investment program to Black and Hispanic applicants. The plaintiff claims the company told multiple other businesswomen they were ineligible for funding because of their Asian descent.

University of Colorado

Case Category: Targeted Programs Complaint
Status: Ongoing
Date: 12/12/2024
Headquarters: Colorado

Do No Harm is filing a lawsuit against the University of Colorado challenging the Underrepresented Minorities Visiting Elective Scholarship, which provides a $2,000 award to underrepresented medical students. plaintiff claims that the scholarship discriminates against white students.

Lululemon

Case Category: Shareholders Complaint
Status: Ongoing
Date: 11/18/2024
Headquarters: Texas

Shareholders files lawsuit against directors and officers of Lululemon alleging that their Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Action program program wasn’t structured to be successful and company employees continued to face discriminatory treatment.

Worthington Steel

Case Category: Workplace Discrimination
Status: Ongoing
Date: 10/24/2024
Headquarters: Ohio

A former employee sued Worthington Steel for religious discrimination and retaliation claiming the company’s policy requires staff to use individuals’ identified pronouns, while Fuzi claims that his religion requires him to use pronouns that align with a person’s sex assigned at birth.

University of Washington School of Medicine

Case Category: Targeted Programs Complaint
Status: Dismissed
Date: 10/15/2024
Headquarters: Washington

Do No Harm is suing the University of Washington alleging that a networking directory to connect BIPOC medical students with BIPOC physicians nationwide is discriminatory. The plaintiff argues the directory excludes white physicians from being listed and prevents white students from accessing the directory to connect with physicians.

Starbucks

Case Category: Diversity Quota Complaint
Status: Dismissed
Date: 8/30/2024
Headquarters: Texas

The National Center for Public Policy Research (NCPPR) sued in August 2022 over Starbucks’ setting hiring goals for Black and other people of color, awarding contracts to “diverse” suppliers and advertisers, and tying executive pay to diversity.

IBM

Case Category: Workplace Discrimination
Status: Ongoing
Date: 8/20/2024
Headquarters: New York

Former employee sues IBM alleging discrimination based on race and sex.

Intel

Case Category: Freedom of Speech/Religion Complaint
Status: Ongoing
Date: 8/13/2024
Headquarters: California

An Israeli former vice president of Intel sued the company alleging unlawful termination and retaliation on the basis of his race and national origin after complaining about a supervisor’s support for Hamas on social media.

Northwestern University

Case Category: Workplace Discrimination
Status: Ongoing
Date: 7/2/2024
Headquarters: Illinois

American First Legal (AFL) sued Northwestern University alleging that the University discriminates in favor of minority candidates, women, and LGBTQ individuals and against white individuals, men, and straight and cisgender individuals, in pursuit of a diversity-related “hiring mandate.”

Ally Financial

Case Category: Workplace Discrimination
Status: Ongoing
Date: 6/4/2024
Headquarters: Michigan

America First Legal (AFL) sued Ally Financial on behalf of a plaintiff that he was not selected for a manager position and was hired for a subordinate role because of his race and sex (a white male).

Hewlett Packard

Case Category: Workplace Discrimination
Status: Ongoing
Date: 5/29/2024
Headquarters: California

A plaintiff (a white male) is suing HP alleging that he was subject to a “shaming session” after expressing his negative opinions on DEI, which led to the termination of his employment and a refusal to rehire him. He alleges that the company was motivated by his race when it terminated his employment.

Southwest Airlines

Case Category: Targeted Programs Complaint
Status: Ongoing
Date: 5/20/2024
Headquarters: Texas

American Alliance for Equal Rights (AAER) filed a lawsuit against Southwest Airlines alleging that Lánzate Travel Award Program is racially discriminatory because the program excludes African Americans, whites, Native Americans, and Asians.

Citigroup

Case Category: Targeted Programs Complaint
Status: Ongoing
Date: 5/17/2024
Headquarters: New York

A plaintiff filed a class action lawsuit challenging against Citigroup alleging race that their Citi ATM Community Network is race discrimination because it allows customers of participating minority-owned banks to withdraw cash without paying out-of-network ATM fees at Citibank ATM.

Citi ended its DEI program in February of 2020.

King & Spalding

Case Category: Targeted Programs Complaint
Status: Ongoing
Date: 5/9/2024
Headquarters: Georgia

A former law student (a white, straight, female) is suing King & Spalding, alleging the firm discriminates against white, straight candidates requiring that applicants be of an ethnically or culturally diverse background or be a member of the LGBT community.

Red Hat

Case Category: Workplace Discrimination
Status: Ongoing
Date: 5/8/2024
Headquarters: North Carolina

A former director of Red Hat partnered with America First Legal (AFL) to sue the company claiming that he was fired due to his race, sex (a white male) and because he openly disagreed with their DEI initiatives and policies.

Johnson & Johnson

Case Category: Workplace Discrimination
Status: Dismissed
Date: 3/6/2024
Headquarters: New Jersey

A plaintiff is suing Johnson & Johnson alleging that the company discriminated against him in pursuit of its DEI program aiming to eliminate older white male employees. He also claimed that the DEI messaging vilified white men, leading to a hostile work environment.

Walt Disney

Case Category: Diversity Quota Complaint
Status: Pending Response
Date: 2/14/2024
Headquarters: California

“America First Legal (AFL) filed a formal complaint with the EEOC alleging that Disney maintains programs that facilitate the classifying of employees or applicants for employment and new business in ways that tend to deprive, white, male, or straight individuals of employment, training, or promotions because of their race, color, sex, or national origin. ”

American Airlines

Case Category: Diversity Quota Complaint
Status: Settled
Date: 1/17/2024
Headquarters: Texas

America First Legal (AFL) filed a complaint against American Airlines alleging the airline violated federal laws through its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) hiring strategies.

Vituity

Case Category: Targeted Programs Complaint
Status: Settled
Date: 12/8/2023
Headquarters: California

Do No Harm sued Vituity alleging the company’s Bridge to Brilliance Incentive Program (which offered a leadership incentive for Black physicians with a sign-on bonus) involved race discrimination.

Expedia

Case Category: Diversity Quota Complaint
Status: Ongoing
Date: 11/8/2023
Headquarters: Washington

America First Legal (AFL) partnered with other law firms and sued Expedia on behalf of a plaintiff alleging that the company utilizes illegal racial quotas in its hiring process. plaintiff claims they failed to offer him employment because he’s a white, straight, male.

Winston & Strawn LLP

Case Category: Targeted Programs Complaint
Status: Settled
Date: 10/30/2023
Headquarters: Illinois

American Alliance for Equal Rights (AAER) filed a lawsuit against Winston & Strawn LLP challenging the law firms first-year law student “LCLD Scholars Program” for excluding straight white men. AAER alleged that program constituted unlawful race discrimination.

New York University

Case Category: Targeted Programs Complaint
Status: Dismissed
Date: 10/19/2023
Headquarters: New York

America First Legal (AFL) sued New York University on behalf of a law student alleging that the University Law Review openly gives unlawful and discriminatory preferences “to women, non-Asian racial minorities, and homosexual and transgender individuals when selecting its members and editors.”

Morgan Stanley & Co.

Case Category: Workplace Discrimination
Status: Ongoing
Date: 8/29/2023
Headquarters: New York

A former employee (a white male) filed a lawsuit against Morgan Stanley & Co alleging he was fired and replaced with a Black woman to meet the firm’s DEI objectives.

Perkins Coie LLP

Case Category: Targeted Programs Complaint
Status: Settled
Date: 8/22/2023
Headquarters: Washington

American Alliance for Equal Rights (AAER) filed a lawsuit against Perkins Coie alleging the company’s diversity fellowship program is racially discriminatory because the program limits eligibility to members of certain historically underrepresented groups in the legal profession.

Morrison & Foerster LLP

Case Category: Targeted Programs Complaint
Status: Dismissed
Date: 8/22/2023
Headquarters: California

American Alliance for Equal Rights (AAER) filed a lawsuit against Morrison & Foerster LLP alleging the company’s Wetmore fellowship racially discriminates because the fellowship has limited eligibility to members of certain historically underrepresented groups in the legal profession.

Gannett Co Inc.

Case Category: Workplace Discrimination
Status: Ongoing
Date: 8/18/2023
Headquarters: New York

A plaintiff filed a lawsuit against Gannett accusing the newspaper publisher of adopting diversity policies that had led to widespread discrimination against white employees.

State Center Community College District

Case Category: Freedom of Speech/Religion Complaint
Status: Dismissed
Date: 8/17/2023
Headquarters: California

Six professors sued leaders of the State Center Community College District and the community college system alleging the college’s DEIA rules forces professors to espouse and enact ideologies in their teaching they may not hold.

Progressive Insurance

Case Category: Targeted Programs Complaint
Status: Ongoing
Date: 8/16/2023
Headquarters: Ohio

America First Legal (AFL) partnered with other law firms and filed a class-action lawsuit accusing Progressive of engaging in racial discrimination by offering $25,000 grants to ten black-owned small businesses to use toward the purchase of a commercial vehicle. The plaintiff claims he did not qualify for the grant because of the color of his skin (a white male).

American Express

Case Category: Workplace Discrimination
Status: Dismissed
Date: 8/11/2023
Headquarters: New York

A former employee filed a class-action lawsuit against American Express alleging the company discriminated against him and other similarly situated white people because of their race.

Target

Case Category: Shareholders Complaint
Status: Ongoing
Date: 8/8/2023
Headquarters: Minnesota

America First Legal (AFL) filed a lawsuit against Target claiming the board had misled investors about the financial risks of its DEI and ESG practices.

Compass Group USA

Case Category: Freedom of Speech/Religion Complaint
Status: Settled
Date: 7/24/2023
Headquarters: North Carolina

A former employee filed a lawsuit against Compass Group USA alleging the company terminated her employment and failed to accommodate her religion because of her race. The plaintiff argues that the Compass required her to work on a DEI program (Operation Equity) that excluded white men from participating. She argued that the program conflicted with her religious belief.

Pennsylvania State University

Case Category: Freedom of Speech/Religion Complaint
Status: Ongoing
Date: 6/14/2023
Headquarters: Pennsylvania

A former employee (a white male) filed a lawsuit against Pennsylvania State University claiming anti-racism policy and trainings created an intolerable and abusive environment that forced him to resign. He argues that he was punished for speaking out against the university’s policies.

Bakersfield College

Case Category: Freedom of Speech/Religion Complaint
Status: Ongoing
Date: 6/1/2023
Headquarters: California

A professor is suing Bakersfield College alleging the college’s approach to DEI and antiracism punishes professors for engaging in social and political speech that goes against the university’s ideology.

University of California

Case Category: Freedom of Speech/Religion Complaint
Status: Dismissed
Date: 5/18/2023
Headquarters: California

A professor is suing The University of California challenging the university’s requirement that prospective faculty write a DEI Statement, arguing that the requirement forces the plaintiff to express ideas with which he disagrees to be eligible for employment and constitutes viewpoint discrimination.

BlackRock

Case Category: Workplace Discrimination
Status: Dismissed
Date: 4/13/2023
Headquarters: New York

A former employee of BlackRock (a white, straight, male) is suing the company alleging he was passed up for promotions and salary increases in service of the company’s DEI and ESG policies.

Novant Health

Case Category: Workplace Discrimination
Status: Decided
Date: 11/7/2022
Headquarters: North Carolina

A former healthcare executive (a white male) brought a discrimination claim against Novant Health claiming he was fired so the company could replace him with a women to further its diversity goals.

North Carolina State University

Case Category: Freedom of Speech/Religion Complaint
Status: Decided
Date: 11/6/2022
Headquarters: North Carolina

A professor sued North Carolina State University alleging that the university violated his constitutional free-speech rights. The plaintiff claimed that the university retaliated against him after he spoke out against the university’s approach to DEI and social justice.

Moody’s Analytics

Case Category: Workplace Discrimination
Status: Dismissed
Date: 10/6/2022
Headquarters: New York

A plaintiff (a 52-year-old white male) sued Moody’s Analytics claiming the company fired him based on his age and race because of the company’s diversity hiring initiative. Moody’s argues that the plaintiff was fired for failing to respond to the company’s mandatory COVID-19 vaccination survey.

Pfizer

Case Category: Targeted Programs Complaint
Status: Settled
Date: 9/15/2022
Headquarters: New York

Do No Harm sued Pfizer challenging the company’s Breakthrough Fellowship Program (a competitive fellowship open to applicants that meet the program’s goals of increasing the pipeline for Black/African American, Latino/Hispanic and Native Americans). The plaintiff accused the company of racially excluding whites and Asians from its Fellowship.

Texas A&M University

Case Category: Diversity Quota Complaint
Status: Dismissed
Date: 9/10/2022
Headquarters: Texas

America First Legal (AFL) sued on behalf of a professor alleging Texas A&M’s faculty hiring practices prioritized women and non-Asian racial minorities, preventing him and other men and white individuals from being considered on equal footing in the hiring process.

Amazon

Case Category: Targeted Programs Complaint
Status: Dismissed
Date: 7/20/2022
Headquarters: Washington

“America First Legal (AFL) sued Northwestern University alleging that the University discriminates in favor of minority candidates, women, and LGBTQ individuals and against white individuals, men, and straight and cisgender individuals, in pursuit of a diversity-related “hiring mandate.” There are two additional targeted programs complaints against Amazon: Correll v. Amazon.com, Inc. et al and Alexandre et al v. Amazon.com, Inc. et al.”

Comcast Corporation

Case Category: Targeted Programs Complaint
Status: Settled
Date: 4/4/2022
Headquarters: Pennsylvania

A plaintiff sued Comcast challenging the company’s Comcast RISE Small Business Program arguing that it limited eligibility to businesses owned by people of color and/or women.

Honeywell

Case Category: Targeted Programs Complaint
Status: Dismissed
Date: 12/23/2021
Headquarters: North Carolina

A former employee filed a lawsuit against Honeywell alleging the company terminated him for voicing objections to an online unconscious bias training.

AT&T Services

Case Category: Workplace Discrimination
Status: Settled
Date: 11/2/2021
Headquarters: Texas

A plaintiff (58-year-old white male) filed a lawsuit against AT&T claiming he was fired due to his age, gender, and race because of the company-wide DEI program.

Coca Cola

Case Category: Shareholders Complaint
Status: Closed
Date: 6/11/2021
Headquarters: Georgia

Shareholders of Coca-Cola Co threatened legal action against the company’s board unless it ends what they allege are illegal policies that the company adopted to promote diversity among outside lawyers.

Harvard College

Case Category: Targeted Programs Complaint
Status: Decided
Date: 2/25/2021
Headquarters: Massachusetts

Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA) filed a lawsuit against Harvard College alleging that the university’s race-conscious admissions programs violated Title VI and the Equal Protection Clause.

University of North Carolina

Case Category: Targeted Programs Complaint
Status: Decided
Date: 2/25/2021
Headquarters: North Carolina

Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA) filed a lawsuit against University of North Carolina alleging that the university’s race-conscious admissions programs violated Title VI and the Equal Protection Clause.

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