Atlanta Braves deny allegations made in lawsuit filed by deaf candidate

ATLANTA – The Atlanta Braves organization strongly denies allegations made by a job candidate in a federal lawsuit, saying he was not hired because of his deafness. Clyde McKinney of Alabama filed a lawsuit against the Atlanta National League Baseball Club, LLC, owner of the Atlanta Braves, in April.

McKinney claims he was a top candidate for an IT position until his final interview, which he says shifted the focus from his qualifications to his disability. He describes being asked about his experience at a deaf awareness event hosted by the Braves, a survey he likens to a question asked of an African-American candidate about an HBCU Night promotional event.

Additionally, McKinney says the team’s concerns about the potential costs of accommodating her disability outweighed their consideration of her professional accomplishments. He also alleges that a recruiter initially indicated that he would be hired for a different position, but that communication stopped after he revealed that he had filed a complaint with the Equal Opportunity Commission in Employment Matters (EEOC).

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With more than 20 years of experience as a data and network systems engineer, McKinney seeks compensation for lost wages and economic opportunity, as well as compensatory and punitive damages.

The Braves counter that McKinney failed to exhaust his administrative remedies and delayed too long in filing his complaint after receiving a right-to-sue letter from the EEOC. The organization is asking the court to dismiss the complaint.