Planned Parenthood was sued on Wednesday by a Black former official who says she was fired for pressing complaints about pervasive workplace race discrimination at the reproductive health organization.
Nicole Moore, who was Planned Parenthood’s director of multicultural brand engagement until last year, filed a complaint in Manhattan federal court claiming the organization has for years ignored Black employees’ reports of unequal treatment.
Moore says Black workers face discrimination in hiring, pay and promotions, as well as overt hostility and harassment.
“Instead of addressing the issues, Planned Parenthood has doubled down by punishing employees of color who dare to speak up,” Moore’s lawyers wrote in the complaint.
Moore says that in response to her numerous complaints about biased treatment, she was placed on a performance improvement plan and ultimately fired last year.
Susan Manning, the interim general counsel for Planned Parenthood, told the New York Times “we strongly dispute the plaintiff’s allegations and categorically deny her claims of discrimination.”
The organization’s “top priority for our dedicated staff is building a culture of diversity across the organization to fulfill our mission of reproductive health for all,” Ms. Manning said.Moore in a statement provided by her lawyers said workplace bias at Planned Parenthood directly affects the access and quality of reproductive healthcare that Black women receive from the organization.
“If staffers are dealing with anti-Blackness, retaliation, and disregard in the workplace, how can we then expect this organization to possibly deliver compassionate care to Black women who are seeking their services?” she said.
The lawsuit comes as Planned Parenthood engages in intense lobbying and legal campaigns to protect abortion access in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s June ruling that struck down Roe v. Wade, the 1973 decision that established a constitutional right to abortion.
Planned Parenthood is the largest provider of abortion services in the United States.
Moore accused Planned Parenthood of race discrimination and retaliation in violation of federal and New York state and city laws. She is seeking unspecified compensatory, economic and punitive damages.