Man sues relief agency, claims bias

ATLANTA - A former employee of an Atlanta-based relief agency is suing the group, saying officials there denied him a promotion because he is white.<br> <br> The agency, CARE USA, has 1,200 employees and is part of CARE International, one of the largest relief and development agencies in the world. Programs in more than 60 nations aim to improve living conditions for the world&#39;s poor.<br> <br> Paul Giannone, 54, who is white and worked for six years in CARE&#39;s emergency unit, said he was denied promotion because of a CARE policy that &#34;expressly prefers women, non-Americans and nonwhite candidates over white American males&#34; in management positions.<br> <br> The agency denied Giannone&#39;s claims.<br> <br> &#34;CARE believes in and operates under the principles of fairness, respecting and promoting diversity and equal opportunity for all people,&#34; the group said in a statement.<br> <br> The agency has been sued five times in Atlanta by minority employees who alleged racial discrimination. None still work at CARE, and all five cases were settled out of court, but remain confidential.<br> <br> Giannone&#39;s lawsuit cites the minutes of a Management Team meeting dated April 25, 2001. A chart showing 13 &#34;emerging leaders nominees&#34; has the words &#34;No - gender&#34; by the names of the two white males on that list.<br> <br> Giannone said several other longtime CARE employees, all of whom are white, have been forced to leave the agency because they &#34;did not match the desired profile.&#34;<br> <br> But Marge Tsitouris, the former director of CARE&#39;s emergency group, said Giannone&#39;s charges are baseless. Staff members cited by Giannone left CARE for other reasons, said Tsitouris, now a consultant for CARE.