Al Roker and his corporation had been accused in a lawsuit filed Tuesday of failing to follow a diversity, fairness and inclusion mandate.
Former govt producer Bill Schultz is suing the “Now” show anchor and Al Roker Leisure, proclaiming he was “wrongfully and illegally qualified” for termination in 2023 just after contacting out the company’s failure to adequately follow a diversity initiative, according to a court doc The Hollywood Reporter posted.
The lawsuit alleged that the business “callously disregarded” a PBS DEI method that mandated Schultz’ animated collection “Weather conditions Hunters” incorporate Black writers. Schultz accused Al Roker Enjoyment of striving to undermine and stay clear of the mandate by getting Black writers only contact up scripts that White writers wrote relatively than retain the services of Black workers writers.

Al Roker Leisure did not answer to a request for remark from Fox Information Electronic. (Nathan Congleton/NBC/NBCU Photo Lender through Getty Visuals)
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“As an alternative of giving the chances to BIPOC writers as had been the prepare, the story editor, repeating a system beforehand advocated and backed by Al Roker Entertainment management in crafting, wished to have ‘non-BIPOC’ writers create the tales, and then carry on a ‘BIPOC’ author and following the tales/episodes [were] formed, they could be ‘hand[ed] off to BIPOC writers,'” the lawsuit study.
After a Black producer was reprimanded for opposing this plan, Schultz spoke out in protection of the DEI plan and designed his belief recognised to Roker and other executives, in accordance to the accommodate. He was later on sent a observe accusing him of what the accommodate explained as “fabricated” contractual breaches and was suspended and fired shortly right after.
“They noticed the use of ‘BIPOC’ men and women as a handicap or unwelcome obstacle that could be disregarded if important and be evaded or overcome—even if it meant applying underhanded and deceptive strategies,” the lawsuit stated. “Additional, administration at Al Roker Enjoyment did not see the PBS DEI mandate as a prerequisite: It was a box to be checked in the most expedient way attainable.”
“Management of Al Roker Enjoyment by no means appreciated or embraced the option the program afforded these it was supposed to reward,” the match ongoing.

Schultz alleged that PBS mandated that his exhibit be equipped to employ the service of Black writers. (Adobe Stock)
Though PBS furnished most of the show’s financing, Schultz taken care of that Al Roker Leisure had “whole authority” over the series, this means it signed off on choices. Schultz is demanding that Roker and his business pay out him $10 million in damages as well as attorneys’ charges.
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“I place nine a long time of my occupation into ‘Weather Hunters,’ a task I strongly believe that in, with the aim of building a splendidly crafted demonstrate for small children to enjoy and study from,” Schultz informed The Hollywood Reporter in a assertion. “I also thought, and nonetheless think, that the challenge benefited by generating alternatives for the ‘new voices’ essential in storytelling and that the ‘Weather Hunters’ generation desired to reside up to the beliefs it was supposed to represent.”

Schultz is demanding Al Roker and his organization spend him at least $10 million for damages. (Roy Rochlin/Getty Visuals)
Fox News Digital reached out to Al Roker Entertainment for a comment.
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