IBM (NYSE:IBM) is facing a lawsuit that accuses the company of racially discriminatory layoffs targeting Black executives.
The suit alleges a pattern of race based terminations tied to shifts in regulatory and compliance priorities.
The case raises questions about IBM's diversity, equity, and inclusion practices and its internal governance controls.
https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/stocks/articles/ibm-lawsuit-over-black-executive-211421488.html
Bob says i dont want any white tokens.
@et Agreed someone should shine a light on it to the current administration and their pals
They want you to think it's black vs white, men vs women, old vs young, when in reality it's people from a particular country in south Asia vs everyone else at IBM. Even for people from that particular country, it's those from a particular caste and region who speak a particular language vs those from other castes and regions who speak different languages. The most un-American thing I've ever seen in my entire life.
Fire all the execs! Who needs 'em
Brooks, who worked at IBM for 26 years before her
termination last year, also accused the company of
preferential treatment of South Asian employees
over Black employees.
South Asian employees? Hmmmmmm. . . which country, pray tell?
IBM Accused of Axing Black Executives After Trump DEI Orders --
https://news.bloomberglaw.com/daily-labor-report/ibm-accused-of-firing-black-executives-after-trump-dei-orders
May 4, 2026, 5:35 PM CDT; Updated: May 5, 2026, 9:59 AM CDT
By: Robert Iafolla
Principal Legal Reporter
A former IBM vice president accused the technology company of illegal race discrimination by firing Black executives to appease the Trump administration in the wake of its anti-DEI efforts.
Annette Brooks alleged in her lawsuit Monday that International Business Machines Corp. fired five of its seven Black executives soon after the administration rolled out directives opposing diversity, equity , and inclusion initiatives.
Brooks said she was one of three Black vice presidents at IBM—all of whom got the ax at the same time.
The allegations that IBM purged the company of most of its Black executives echo accusations of racially motivated firings levied against the Trump administration, which the White House has denied.
An IBM spokesperson called the lawsuit baseless, saying race played no part in the decision to end Brooks’ employment with the company.
“Discrimination of any kind is not tolerated by IBM and is entirely inconsistent with our culture and values,” Miki Carver said in the statement.
Brooks claimed that IBM’s race-based terminations to satisfy the Trump administration were part of an effort to remain favored by the Defense Department and other agencies with large contracts with the company.
She filed her lawsuit alleging violations of Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act in US District Court for the Southern District of New York.
Brooks, who worked at IBM for 26 years before her termination last year, also accused the company of preferential treatment of South Asian employees over Black employees.
She’s represented by the Law Office of Laura Wong-Pan PLLC.
The case is Brooks v. IBM Corp., S.D.N.Y., No. 26-03664, complaint filed 5/4/26: https://www.bloomberglaw.com/public/desktop/document/BrooksvInternalBusinessMachinesCorporationDocketNo726cv03664SDNYM?doc_id=X75DI7K2CMK8S59961KH8JNU1GQ
(Updates with company comments in paragraphs five and six. The article originally published May 4.)
@b7, you should thank your lucky star, you were able to hold until turning 60,
It will be somewhat hard to find a job that matches your aspirations.
I was in a similar situation, I wish the slimy id--ts running the company think about the implications of their stupid decisions. In my case, being let go before turning 65 was a bummer, since I had to shop for a medical coverage before Medicare kicks in.
But IBM only hates white men
Your mistake was to get to B10. This is death row at IBM or the end of your career as you found out fairly quickly.
It is a shame that people like you get laid off, but that is IBM these days.
@b4 As a Band 10 white guy who became a STSM in 2022, I was unceremoniously kicked to the curb in Nov 2025. I have never been on a PIP.
Actually I even won a couple of prestigious awards the year before but my new VP "canceled" them by declaring "I don't care"; and have gotten patents every year including last year.
But my cardinal sin was getting promoted to B10 - higher salary now - and then shortly thereafter turning 60.
On my birthday I joke to my wife I would be unemployed soon. It sure didn't take long; maybe HR has listening bugs in my house.
I look and feel like I am late 40s as I am avid basketball player here in RTP. When I tell people that IBM "retired" me they look stunned, esp after learning about everything I achieved. Sadly now these same ignored achievements make me "over qualified" and unable to get a job at less than half my pay.
Bite me, Arvind.
@ac correct except nearly all were high performers not pips
@ap yea what about all the whites they disproportionately let go
The layoffs primarily hit older white dudes but I have seen good black execs laid off too - a lot fewer because there were fewer to begin with. Since 2025, Arvind had targeted anyone in leadership that isn't in his inner circle -
that is Band 10 and D. Some of those folks are black but almost all are over 40 or 50.
Total BullStein
IBM is targeting white people. Example there are many black women who show up to the office maybe once a month.
Alvind is a racist P0S
@a7 in Albany the layoffs were a mixture of ages but the pips were all 40 plus . They were all white both both genders .
This hasn't been my observation at all. Many of the people I've seen being laid off are older white workers - mostly white men over 50. The difference I think is that the media doesn't care about them, and they have no protection when it comes to discrimination. People will downvote this, but facts are facts.