Just days before Thursday's iconic Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City, Macy's was hit with a civil rights complaint from America First Legal.
"Macy's has, sadly, joined a long list of storied American companies that now prioritize racism over rights," America First Legal Deputy Director of Oversight and Investigations John A. Zadrozny said in a press release announcing the filing on Monday.
"Macy's own public-facing materials all but acknowledge that they are engaging in personnel practices that violate federal law. Because of this, Macy's is now going to have to explain to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission why they have chosen to become a civil rights violator. It is our hope that Macy's takes this opportunity to correct its unlawful and egregious conduct as soon as possible."
The group filed the complaint with the EEOC Monday and included a letter asking for an investigation into allegations the retailer is "intentionally and systematically" violating Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act "by unlawfully conditioning hiring, promotion, training, and other functions on race, color, national origin, and/or sex."
"Despite clear federal law, Macy's has set explicit racial and other quotas for hiring and similar functions that appear to facially violate federal law," Monday's letter to the EEOC read.
Led by Stephen Miller, a former senior adviser to former President Donald Trump, America First Legal is "committed to fighting for all Americans — regardless of race, color, religion, or creed," from the "radical left's" efforts to "destroy our country," according to the organization's website.
To support its complaint against Macy's, AFL points to a 2019 Macy's Inc. press release that details a five-point-plan to increase diversity in its workforce.
According to AFL, the plan explicitly instructs Macy's management to "achieve more ethnic diversity by 2025 at senior director level and above, with a goal of 30 percent," as well as to initiate a "12-month program designed to strengthen leadership skills for a selected group of top-talent managers and directors of Black/African American, Hispanic-Latinx, Native American and Asian descent."
AFL said that "quotas such as these are patently illegal under the law."
Macy's will hold its 97th annual parade in New York City on Thursday at 8:30 a.m. The parade will feature 5,000 volunteers, 16-character balloons, 26 floats, 32 "heritage and novelty" balloons, 700 clowns, 12 marching bands, and nine other performance groups, the company said in a Nov. 1 press release.
"For nearly 100 years, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade has been synonymous with the beginning of the holiday season, celebration, and togetherness," Will Coss, executive producer of Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade said in the release. "Our talented team of Macy's Studios artisans and production specialists work year-round to deliver the nation's most beloved holiday event live on Thanksgiving morning. We are proud to hold this responsibility and look forward to sharing our unbelievable designs, larger-than-life character balloons, and first-class entertainment — all sure to create lifelong memories for parade fans nationwide."
Charles Kim ✉
Charles Kim, a Newsmax general assignment writer, is an award-winning journalist with more than 30 years in reporting on news and politics.
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