Articles

Employment Law Update: Federal Judge Rules Attorney Was Fired for Legitimate Workplace Behavior Concerns, not Due to Alleged Racial Animus

Date: July 24, 2025
A recent decision from the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington highlights the importance of clear, documented reasons for employee terminations. In Kang v. The Boeing Company, a case involving a former in-house attorney at Boeing, the trial court granted summary judgment in favor of Boeing, dismissing the employee’s claims of racial discrimination, retaliation, and hostile work environment.

The plaintiff, who is Asian, alleged that she was fired for racial bias and in retaliation for raising compliance concerns. The trial court, however, found that Boeing provided substantial evidence of legitimate, non-discriminatory reasons for her termination. Significantly, multiple supervisors and colleagues described the plaintiff as having a “toxic leadership style” and being “extremely volatile.” The record also showed that she had ongoing difficulties with coworkers and clients and that she ignored and disregarded direct instructions from her manager not to participate in client communications.

While the plaintiff pointed to certain comments and alleged exclusion from meetings as evidence of discrimination, the court found that these incidents were either too isolated or speculative to support her claims. The trial court reiterated that uncomfortable or isolated remarks without a connection to the decision-makers do not establish racial animus.

The situation here is not uncommon in the workplace. Toxicity need not be tolerated, but it also needs to be well-documented. It is crucial for employers to document performance issues, follow established procedures, and maintain clear records of the reasons behind employment decisions. Proper documentation not only supports fair and lawful management practices, which supports positive employee morale in many ways, but also provides a strong defense if disputes lead to litigation. 
The information contained here is not intended to provide legal advice or opinion and should not be acted upon without consulting an attorney. Counsel should not be selected based on advertising materials, and we recommend that you conduct further investigation when seeking legal representation.