Dive Brief:

• A White lighting technician filed suit against Meta Platforms, the Association of Independent Commercial Productions and two film production companies Sept. 5 over a diversity initiative that allegedly seeks to hire Black and Indigenous individuals and other people of color (BIPOC) for commercial film production jobs at the exclusion of White candidates.
• Per the complaint in Harker v. Meta Platforms, Inc., et al, the AICP obtains funding and support from clients, such as Meta, for a paid, apprentice-type diversity program, “Double the Line” (DTL), which allows production companies to hire BIPOC candidates with no industry experience to work alongside experienced employees to learn the business in a “real, hands on way.” DTL’s alleged purpose is to “push forward a demographic shift” and, the complaint argues, “to stigmatize, target, harm ... and intentionally discriminate against white people ... because of their race, color and national origin.”
• According to the lawsuit, Meta, AICP and the other defendants violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. Section 1981 (prohibiting race discrimination in the making and enforcing of contracts) and the New York Human Rights Law. The plaintiff was hired to work as an electrician on a commercial being made for Meta, the complaint said. One of the gaffers (the highest-level electrician on the crew) allegedly had no experience, was hired under the DTL program and made more than the plaintiff did, despite his nearly 30 years in the business. He claimed that after he inquired about her, he was kept out of other DTL-designated positions and not rehired for later projects.

Click for full article