A former minor league umpire has filed a lawsuit against Major League Baseball (MLB) and an affiliated entity, alleging discrimination and harassment based on his gender and sexual orientation. The umpire, who worked in the minor league Arizona Complex League, claims he was subjected to a hostile work environment and wrongfully terminated.
The lawsuit alleges that the MLB has historically lacked diversity among its umpires, with a predominantly Caucasian male roster. The plaintiff asserts that MLB implemented an illegal diversity quota requiring the promotion of women regardless of merit.
The umpire attended training camps and was informed that MLB had to hire at least two women among new umpire hires. Despite receiving a high rating, the umpire was placed on a taxi squad and told that women and minority candidates had priority in hiring.
The plaintiff reported being harassed by a female umpire who learned of his sexual orientation and made derogatory remarks. After notifying MLB officials, the umpire was accused of violating anti-discrimination policies and required to undergo sensitivity training.
Following a meeting with MLB's senior vice president of diversity, equity, and inclusion, the umpire was skipped for the playoffs and subsequently fired. The plaintiff claims he was the only umpire let go from a group of 26 hired umpires.
MLB declined to comment on the pending litigation but confirmed efforts to contact the female umpire accused of misconduct. The lawsuit highlights ongoing efforts to diversify MLB's umpiring staff, with a growing number of women working as minor league umpires.
Notably, a female umpire recently made history by umpiring major league spring training games and is positioned for a potential call-up to the majors as a replacement umpire.
