Jury sides with University of California in hiring discrimination suit

SAN FRANCISO—A jury has voted 11-1 that the University of California, San Francisco's treatment of a black employee was not discriminatory, according to the university.

The plaintiff, Todd Senigar, was employed in an information technology position in the university's network operations center, but was not hired for a new position and filed suit.

In the suit brought in California Superior Court, he alleged that he should have been hired for the new post without allowing other candidates to apply, but that he was not promoted because is black, according to UCSF.

However, in an 11-1 ruling Tuesday, the state court jury rejected that claim, the university said in a statement.

His original suit against the University of California’s regents alleged wage discrimination, retaliation and failure to prevent harassment. All but one claim—that he had not been promoted to the post because of his race—were dismissed previously, the university said in a statement.

“UCSF followed policies designed to promote diversity by openly posting the position and permitting both internal and external candidates to apply,” the university said in the statement. “Unfortunately, due to budget cuts, the position was eliminated before it was filled by any candidate.”