Analysis from The New York Times labor union found that the media company gave significantly lower ratings to employees of color.
According to NPR, the NewsGuild, the union representing the newsroom, examined data from about 1,000 The New York Times employees.
The NewsGuild found that, in 2021, being Hispanic reduced the odds of receiving a high score by about 60 percent and being Black cut the chances of high scores by nearly 50 percent. Asian employees were also less likely to receive a high score than their white peers.
In 2020, white employees accounted for nearly 90 percent of the 50 employees that received a top score on their performance review. Zero black employees received a top score.
The NewsGuild says the performance reviews have a direct impact on an employee’s paycheck and career opportunities. The New York Times used performance reviews in 2021 to determine the size of Guild members’ bonuses.
Danielle Rhoades Ha, a spokeswoman for the paper, told NPR The New York Times is evaluating the analysis.
“Having an equitable performance evaluation system is one of the most important levers we have to ensure we are developing and supporting the growth of our employees in a fair manner,” Rhoades Ha said in a statement to NPR. “We’re committed to a performance evaluation system that is fair and equitable, and we have been working to continuously improve it.”
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