LOS ANGELES — Sony Music is vigorously defending itself against a discrimination lawsuit filed by a former assistant to Columbia Records CEO Ron Perry, alleging race-conscious hiring policies. The company swiftly responded to the accusations, describing them as “contradictory and false” and intended to harass the former employer.
The lawsuit, filed by Patria Paulino, claims that she was forced to resign after objecting to discriminatory hiring practices that favored Black applicants. Paulino alleges that she was explicitly told to hire only Black candidates to enhance the appearance of diversity.
In a motion filed by Sony and Perry’s attorneys, they strongly disagreed with the accusations, pointing out the contradictory nature of the claims. The label’s lawyers argued that Paulino only worked at Sony for a short period of time and performed poorly. They stated that she willingly participated in the hiring practices she now alleges were discriminatory.
Sony’s response disputed Paulino’s claim of being constructively discharged, stating that she resigned voluntarily after receiving unfavorable performance feedback. The company asserted that she filed the lawsuit to harass her former employer and boss, who had aimed to help her succeed in her role.
While Sony criticized the merits of the case, its argument mainly focused on a procedural issue. The company argued that the federal court where the case was filed lacks cross-state jurisdiction.
Paulino’s attorney, Erica L. Shnayder, emphasized that Sony’s motion only addressed the procedural issue and had no bearing on the factual allegations supported by text messages. Shnayder stated that the case would proceed forward.
The lawsuit comes in the wake of a significant Supreme Court ruling that banned the use of race-conscious admissions in higher education, commonly known as “affirmative action.” This ruling and increased scrutiny on diversity practices have led to similar lawsuits, such as the one against CBS and Paramount for alleged diversity quotas that discriminate against white men.
Paulino’s lawsuit also makes additional allegations beyond the hiring policies. She claims that the company discriminated against her based on her race as a Hispanic individual.
A spokesperson for Sony Music declined to comment on the specific allegations, citing the pending nature of the case.