Tiffany & Co. Accused of Racial Bias

A group director for the jewelry retailer Tiffany & Company sued the company in federal court last Thursday, accusing his employer of a "systemic, nationwide pattern and practice of racial discrimination." According to the complaint, of the more than 200 management positions that represent Tiffany to the public, only one is held by an African-American: Michael McClure, the plaintiff in this lawsuit. Robert D. Kraus, the lawyer representing McClure, says that pattern, along with his client's experience, demonstrates "racial bias in the belief, conscious or otherwise, that African-Americans aren't appropriate ambassadors for the iconic, luxurious and sophisticated Tiffany brand."