Another Lawsuit Dropped on KC Station

I don’t know who the lawyer is for Gray’s KCTV in Kansas City, but they are going to be very busy.

Another lawsuit has been dropped on the station, this time by former Reporter Adam Orduna.

In his lawsuit, Orduna, who is Black, alleges he was undermined by a similarly qualified white colleague that was given “apparent authority” over his schedule and work performance. He claimed the station allowed his work and reputation to be unfairly scrutinized by a colleague, whom he alleged to have a prejudice against Black people.

Orduna claims that after anchoring the sportscast, he was brought in to speak with News Director Kate Glover and the station’s general manager, where he was criticized for his lack of experience.

Glover told Orduna that his anchoring was “not strong enough for this market,” and she was initially “just trying to be nice.”

Four months later in November, Glover read aloud Orduna’s performance issues, as documented by his colleague, in a meeting. She told Orduna that he may be fired if he did not consider switching from the sports to the news department at the station, according to the lawsuit.

Orduna submitted a complaint to Human Resources over email, alleging that he was experiencing racial discrimination. He claimed his colleague had been “targeting him, creating a hostile work environment, and generally displaying a lack of respect,” out of prejudice for Black people, according to the lawsuit.

A few months later he was fired.

The lawsuit claims Gray Media Group relied on the statements of his former colleague, who Orduna accused of targeting him, without any human resources investigation into his concerns.

Orduna is seeking compensation for punitive damages, attorney’s fees and any other related costs. The lawsuit does not say how much money Orduna is seeking, but it does request a jury trial.

H/T Yahoo News