Margo Kline Sues Hawks, Alleges Discrimination Against White Employees

Margo Kline, a former employee of the Atlanta Hawks who was fired in March 2017, has filed a lawsuit against the NBA franchise for alleged discrimination against white employees. 

Per Raisa Habersham of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Kline says Hawks external affairs director David Lee "promoted a culture of discrimination against white people, especially white women."

"We take all claims of discrimination seriously and have performed a thorough review of these baseless claims," the Hawks said in a statement, via Habersham. "The case was quickly dismissed at the EEOC level. We deny these claims and will vigorously defend against them."

Kline also stated that Lee, who is black, hired and promoted "less qualified" black employees ahead of white employees and joked about "white culture."

Per Kline's LinkedIn profile, she worked with the Hawks from June 2012-March 2017 as the corporate social responsibility manager. 

Her lawsuit notes the Hawks fired her "three weeks after a final written warning regarding her conduct and performance," but she allegedly had never been written up prior to receiving a final warning.