Former Claremont McKenna workers sue over discrimination claims

Two former Claremont McKenna College employees filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles County Superior Court on July 31, 2026, alleging age and race discrimination, harassment and retaliation tied to complaints they say they raised to Human Resources. The case puts the college’s handling of internal complaints and two December 2025 terminations under legal scrutiny.

Why it matters: - The lawsuit could test whether Claremont McKenna College properly handled workplace complaints and protected employees who reported alleged misconduct. - The former employees are seeking damages for lost pay, benefits, emotional distress and other remedies allowed under California law. - The complaint also raises questions about alleged retaliation after workers used internal complaint channels and sought Human Resources help.

What happened: - Two former Claremont McKenna College employees sued the college on July 31, 2026, in Los Angeles County Superior Court. - The case is listed as Case No. 26PSCV02648. - The complaint alleges age discrimination, race discrimination, workplace harassment and retaliation connected to their jobs at the Claremont, California college. - The former employees say they were terminated on Dec. 15, 2025.

The details: - One employee started at Claremont McKenna College in November 2018 as an administrative assistant supporting Policy Lab and academic programs. - That employee moved to the Registrar’s Office in July 2023 and became Assistant Registrar in early 2024 while still supporting Policy Lab work. - The complaint says that employee received favorable reviews, including exceeding expectations in 2023 and meeting expectations in 2024. - The complaint says that employee was never placed on a performance improvement plan or given a final warning before termination. - The second employee joined the college in June 2024 as an Associate Registrar. - The second employee completed probation and received a performance review in August 2025, according to the complaint. - The complaint says that employee also did not receive a formal performance improvement plan or warning that employment was at risk. - Both employees allege a supervisor created a hostile work environment through intimidation, threats about jobs, humiliation, disparaging remarks and ambiguous instructions. - The complaint also alleges race-related comments contributed to an uncomfortable workplace. - In October 2024, the employees allegedly filed a written complaint and met with Human Resources leadership. - Their reported concerns included threats, race-related remarks, confidentiality, insufficient training, unclear expectations, anxiety and emotional distress. - The employees say they asked for an investigation, protection from further mistreatment and corrective action. - The complaint says the employees met with Human Resources about six or seven times over the following months. - The employees allege the problems were not adequately resolved. - They also contend information shared in confidential HR discussions was repeated by the supervisor. - In August 2025, the supervisor was removed from the Registrar role but stayed employed by the college as a Senior Associate Registrar. - The complaint says the former supervisor still held substantial influence in the department after the change. - The employees later worked under new departmental leadership and used Microsoft Planner to track assignments. - The complaint says the employees completed their work and were current or ahead of schedule when they were fired. - One employee also says they raised concerns about the supervisor’s treatment of a student. - The complaint says that employee later faced an accusation of harassment after a separate interaction involving the supervisor. - Human Resources interviewed that employee but did not find misconduct that warranted termination, according to the complaint. - The college said the terminations were part of a reorganization and that the employees’ skills did not fit newly created positions. - The former employees dispute that explanation and say the jobs were filled by replacement employees already selected for the roles. - One plaintiff alleges age discrimination and says they were about 60 years old when terminated. - The other plaintiff alleges race discrimination.

Between the lines: - The case turns on whether the college’s stated reorganization rationale was the real reason for the firings or whether the terminations followed protected complaints. - The allegations also focus on whether Human Resources kept complaints confidential and whether the college responded effectively to internal reports of misconduct. - Because the claims are still allegations in a complaint, no court has made a finding of liability.

What's next: - The case remains pending in Los Angeles County Superior Court. - The lawsuit seeks economic and non-economic damages, punitive damages, attorneys’ fees, litigation costs and other relief. - The complaint includes claims under the California Fair Employment and Housing Act, whistleblower retaliation law, wrongful termination, negligent hiring or supervision, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. - Attorney Joseph Huprich of Huprich Law Firm, PC, represents the former employees.