Paramount Global has agreed to terminate its diversity, equity, and inclusion hiring practices after a script supervisor sued, alleging racial discrimination and quota-based hiring at CBS, Blaze Media reported.
Paramount Global and its subsidiary CBS have reportedly ended their DEI initiatives, including race-based hiring quotas, following a complaint by a longtime script supervisor who claimed he was denied promotions because he did not meet the diversity criteria.
Brian Beneker, who worked on the Paramount+ original series "SEAL Team," was represented by America First Legal in a lawsuit filed in February. The complaint alleged that CBS and Paramount violated the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by instituting discriminatory hiring goals based on race, gender, and sexual orientation.
Beneker's lawsuit cited public statements from then-CBS President and CEO George Cheeks, who had declared a goal of having 40% of the network's writers be non-white. By the 2022-23 broadcast season, that goal was reportedly increased to 50%.
Cheeks, who was publicly recognized as CBS's first Black, biracial, and gay president, played a key role in implementing the policies.
According to the lawsuit, 17 of CBS's 21 shows met or exceeded the initial diversity target. Beneker, however, claimed that these practices unfairly kept him from advancing despite his qualifications.
He alleged that six writers — described in the complaint as "black, female, or gay" — were hired despite having limited experience or no previous writing credits. When Beneker asked why he was passed over, the showrunner allegedly told him he did not "check any diversity boxes."
In response to the lawsuit, America First Legal reported that Paramount has ceased setting numerical goals related to race, ethnicity, sex, or gender when hiring. The company has also stopped collecting demographic data on applicants and removed a 5% funding bonus previously awarded to programs advancing DEI goals.
"Paramount Global and CBS Studios have agreed to a settlement in a lawsuit America First Legal brought on behalf of our client Brian Beneker," Nick Barry of America First Legal said. "America First Legal is pleased to see Paramount and CBS publicly back off their DEI requirements and return to merit-based considerations. Diversity quotas that discriminate on the basis of race are unlawful. Others in the entertainment industry should take note."
Beneker has since agreed to dismiss his claims following a resolution with the companies. The specific terms of the settlement were not disclosed.
The development follows a March directive from President Donald Trump to eliminate DEI policies from the U.S. Foreign Service. The memorandum, aimed at restoring merit-based hiring and promotion, bans using race, sex, or other personal characteristics in employment decisions and instructs agencies to reverse Biden-era DEI-linked promotion standards.
The Trump administration has argued that these reforms are necessary to "restore fairness" in hiring and realign federal employment with principles such as "individual dignity, hard work, and excellence."
Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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