FAA faces scrutiny over diversity hiring policies amid staffing shortages and deadly midair collision

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The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) faces a class-action lawsuit claiming it rejected 1,000 air traffic controller applicants due to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) hiring policies, prioritizing diversity over qualifications and exacerbating staffing shortages.

A catastrophic crash between an American Airlines plane and a Black Hawk helicopter over Washington, D.C., killing 67 people, has reignited scrutiny of the FAA's hiring practices and their impact on air traffic control safety.

Andrew Brigida, a white applicant, alleges he was denied a job in 2015 despite perfect qualifications, arguing the FAA's shift to a "biographical assessment" system unfairly disadvantaged qualified candidates like himself.

The FAA maintains its hiring practices are lawful, emphasizing that broadening applicant pools to include diverse candidates does not constitute discrimination and aligns with Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.

Chronic understaffing, exacerbated by pandemic layoffs and budget cuts, has led to overworked controllers and safety risks, with the midair collision highlighting the urgent need for reform and merit-based hiring in critical roles.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is under intense scrutiny after a class-action lawsuit alleged it rejected 1,000 air traffic controller applicants due to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) hiring policies, exacerbating staffing shortages.

The controversy resurfaced following a catastrophic midair collision between an American Airlines passenger plane and a Black Hawk helicopter over Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, Jan. 29, which killed 67 people.

The crash, the deadliest U.S. aviation disaster in nearly 25 years, has reignited debates over the FAA's hiring practices and its impact on air traffic control operations.

At the center of the lawsuit is Andrew Brigida, a 35-year-old program manager at the FAA, who claims he was denied a job as an air traffic controller in 2015 because of his race. Brigida, who is white, alleges the FAA's shift from a skills-based hiring system to a "biographical assessment" under the Obama administration prioritized diversity over qualifications, leading to understaffing and, ultimately, safety risks.

Brigida's lawsuit, filed in 2015, argues that the FAA's DEI-focused hiring policies discriminated against qualified applicants like himself. A graduate of Arizona State University's collegiate training initiative, Brigida scored 100 percent on his air traffic controller training exam but was rejected for a position. He claims the FAA's new hiring system, which emphasized diversity, unfairly disadvantaged him and other applicants.

"You want to hire the best and the brightest for this kind of job because it is a very stressful job and it can take a toll on you, age you prematurely," Brigida told The Telegraph. "You want to make sure that the people that are doing it are the best."

The FAA has defended its hiring practices, arguing that broadening the pool of applicants to include more diverse candidates does not constitute discrimination. In a 2020 motion, the Department of Transportation stated, "An employer's decision to broaden the pool of potential applicants between rounds of hiring is not a personnel action cognizable under Title VII." The government also emphasized that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act protects against unequal treatment, not the loss of preferential treatment under previous systems.

The lawsuit's allegations have gained renewed attention after the midair collision. The FAA's preliminary report revealed that staffing levels at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport's control tower were "not normal for the time of day and volume of traffic" at the time of the crash.

According to the New York Times, the air traffic controller on duty was handling both helicopter traffic and managing planes, tasks typically divided between two controllers during peak hours. A supervisor had reportedly allowed one controller to leave early, consolidating duties before the scheduled cutoff time. (Related: Trump appoints new FAA chief after deadly D.C. crash, orders end to DEI hiring practices.)

Political fallout and calls for reform

The tragedy has drawn sharp criticism from political leaders, including President Donald Trump, who blamed the FAA's DEI policies for understaffing and lower hiring standards.

"He obviously sees the issue at hand," Brigida said of Trump. "I'm sure people that work in the Department of Transportation and the FAA informed him that there is an issue with staffing and air traffic control, and I'm hoping they can work on it immediately."

The FAA, however, maintains that its hiring practices are lawful and necessary to ensure a diverse workforce. The agency has also pointed to broader challenges, including pandemic-era layoffs and budget constraints, contributing to staffing shortages.

As the FAA prepares to defend itself in court next year, the agency faces mounting pressure to address staffing shortages and restore public confidence in air traffic control operations. The midair collision has underscored the high stakes of these issues, with critics arguing that safety must take precedence over diversity initiatives.

For Brigida and others, the lawsuit represents more than a personal grievance. It is a call to prioritize merit-based hiring in critical roles where lives are on the line.

"It was just a matter of time before a major accident happened," Brigida said.

Head over to LeftCult.com for more news about the liberal and woke government policies of the previous administration.

Watch the video below that talks about proof that DEI overtook the FAA.

This video is from the NewsClips channel on Brighteon.com.