WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, as part of its initiative under the Center for Legal Equality, America First Legal (AFL) asked the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) to open a civil rights investigation into Alaska Air, Inc., for engaging in unlawful, discriminatory hiring practices.

The publicly traded corporation has openly stated its commitment to racial equity in its operations, which unlawfully limits, segregates, and/or classifies applicants for employment based on race – a patent violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964:

In its most recent 10-K filing, Alaska Air states that it is “committed to advancing equity in all forms, and ha[s] set specific and measurable goals to deliver on our commitments to racial equity and diversity by 2025,” and that a primary goal is “to increase racial diversity in our leadership team.”

As part of that long-term strategy, Alaska Air has stated that by 2025 it would “increase [the] Company’s ‘Inclusion Index Scot’ by 10 points, and it would “increase racial diversity at all levels to at least 30%.” Since its announcement in 2021, Alaska Air has openly and proudly displayed on its website the progress it has made in using illegal hiring, training, and promotion preferences to fulfill its racial equity goals.

AFL has separately asked the President, Chief Executive Officer, and Director, Ben Minicucci, to immediately cease and desist all employment practices that discriminate based on race, color, sex, or national origin.

The odious and illegal practice of hiring based on immutable characteristics like race is a flagrant attack on civil rights that harms all Americans. Under the guise “equity,” far-left corporations openly discriminate against individuals and are never held accountable. America First Legal, however, is determined to hold these companies accountable and will not cease in the pursuit of equal opportunity for all Americans.

Read the complaint here and the letter here.

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