The proposed class action was filed in Virginia federal court on Friday by five current and former Gannett employees who say they were fired or passed over for promotions to make room for less-qualified women and minorities.

The plaintiffs say those decisions were driven by a policy announced in 2020 under which Gannett aims to have its newsrooms reflect the demographics of the communities they cover by 2025.

Gannett has also tied executive bonuses and promotions to success meeting the goals outlined in the policy, according to the lawsuit.

[One has to wonder whether Gannett might fold quickly, after the Supreme Court ruling this term over affirmative action. That turned out to be a much broader decision than first predicted, and made it clear that discriminatory actions based on race or ethnicity would be actionable no matter who was harmed. Does Gannett want to test that out — or cut losses? — Ed]