<mediadc-video-embed data-state="{"cms.site.owner":{"_ref":"00000161-3486-d333-a9e9-76c6fbf30000","_type":"00000161-3461-dd66-ab67-fd6b93390000"},"cms.content.publishDate":1661969406990,"cms.content.publishUser":{"_ref":"0000017d-fe9d-da96-ad7d-ffbf8a5c0000","_type":"00000161-3461-dd66-ab67-fd6b933a0007"},"cms.content.updateDate":1661969406990,"cms.content.updateUser":{"_ref":"0000017d-fe9d-da96-ad7d-ffbf8a5c0000","_type":"00000161-3461-dd66-ab67-fd6b933a0007"},"rawHtml":"
var _bp = _bp||[]; _bp.push({ "div": "Brid_61966887", "obj": {"id":"27789","width":"16","height":"9","video":"1087671"} }); ","_id":"00000182-f518-d446-af92-f59992180000","_type":"2f5a8339-a89a-3738-9cd2-3ddf0c8da574"}”>Video EmbedA new Pfizer fellowship that exclusively welcomes applications from minorities violates civil rights laws, some lawyers argue.
The pharmaceutical giant’s Breakthrough Fellowship is described as a “first-of-its-kind” program that requires that applicants meet its goals of “increasing the pipeline for Black/African American, Latino/Hispanic and Native Americans.”
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“One of Pfizer’s Bold Moves is to create a workplace for all, and we are committed to increasing diversity by fostering a more inclusive workplace,” the company stated. “To build this, Pfizer has launched a Breakthrough Fellowship Program – a nine-year commitment to increase minority representation at Pfizer, designed to enhance our pipeline of diverse leaders.”
While the requirements do not explicitly exclude applicants of other races, the company did point out in a frequently asked questions section that there are other programs and opportunities, such as its Pfizer Benefits’ Education Assistance Program, for an applicant who is not “from a minority group identified.” The company also noted that it is an equal opportunity employer.
Gail Heriot, a member of the Commission on Civil Rights, told the Washington Free Beacon that the fellowship was a “clear case of liability” and could be a violation of the Civil Rights Act of 1866 and Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act.
The Civil Rights Act of 1866 affirmed that all people born in the United States are citizens and that all citizens are equally protected by the law. Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.
“Major corporations seem to have forgotten that there’s such a thing as law,” Heriot told the outlet. A spokesperson for the Commission on Civil Rights, Angelia Rorison, told the Washington Examiner that the views Heriot expressed were her “personal beliefs” and that she “cannot speak on behalf of the Commission.”
Dan Morenoff, the executive director of the American Civil Rights Project, also told the outlet that the fellowship was a “very facial violation” of Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
The fellowship’s inaugural cohort in 2021 was 55% female and 45% male. Forty percent of people in the cohort were black, another 40% were Hispanic, and 20% were of two or more races, according to the company’s annual review. The program’s goal is to have 100 fellows by 2025.
Undergraduate students are eligible to apply for the fellowship during their junior year. The program is composed of five parts for successful fellows, including a summer internship and two years of full-time employment after graduation, followed by a fully paid scholarship for a full-time “2-year MBA, MPH or MS Statistics program.”
The Washington Examiner asked Pfizer for comment.
