Commentary: We Must Stop Being Headline Readers and Start Reading the Content

Former Columbus City Manager and current mayoral candidate Isaiah Hugley has filed a Charge of Discrimination with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, alleging racial discrimination and retaliation by the Columbus Consolidated Government.

The filing has drawn criticism from some residents who argue that Hugley’s action conflicts with his mayoral campaign. What is missing from much of that commentary is a basic understanding of what an EEOC charge is — and what it is not.

An EEOC charge is not a lawsuit. It is a protected legal action and, in most cases, a required first step before a lawsuit can even be filed. Conflating the two is not only inaccurate; it is misleading.

Nothing is more troubling than watching people read only headlines, skim social media posts, or rely on secondhand gossip and assume they have the full story. Too often, repetition replaces verification. If something is said loudly or often enough, it is treated as fact, even when it is not.

The Courier Eco Latino Newspaper has repeatedly explained that Hugley is not suing the city. Despite that, the false claim continues to circulate. Accuracy matters — especially in a community conversation involving race, employment rights and a mayoral election.

What an EEOC Charge Really Means Filing a charge with the EEOC initiates a federal review to determine whether workplace discrimination may have occurred. The agency investigates claims involving race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, age (40 and older), genetic information and retaliation.

Individuals file EEOC charges to report unfair treatment such as termination, demotion, harassment, denial of promotion, unequal pay or refusal to accommodate disability or religion. The EEOC may seek mediation or settlement. Only if that process fails does the agency issue a Notice of Right to Sue, allowing the individual to pursue the matter in court.

Calling an EEOC filing a “lawsuit” is factually wrong.

The Basis of Hugley’s Claim According to the filing by attorney Scott Grubman, Hugley alleges that racially charged remarks were made during an investigation into the city’s finance department. Those remarks reportedly questioned the qualifications of Black department heads and referred to Black pastors who spoke at council meetings as “little mafiosos.”

The charge further alleges that Hugley’s termination, following his support of former Police Chief Freddie Blackmon, was retaliatory and that an internal audit used to justify his firing was a “sham audit” designed to harass and retaliate against him.

These are allegations — not verdicts — and the EEOC process exists to examine precisely those claims.

Exercising a Legal Right Filing an EEOC charge is a protected action under federal law. Any employee, public or private, has the right to do so without fear of retaliation.

Notably, some of the same voices questioning Hugley’s actions have themselves relied on the courts when they believed the city acted unfairly.

In 2010, a federal jury awarded former Councilor Byron Hickey $306,000 after finding that city officials discriminated against him for speaking out about racial and gender bias.

In 2022, then-mayoral candidate John Anker sued the city, alleging officials withheld public records related to a jail audit.

Seeking accountability through legal channels is not unprecedented in Columbus, nor has it been treated as disqualifying for public service.

The Broader Message The EEOC process exists to protect all workers, regardless of title or political ambition. Whether a line worker or a city executive, everyone is entitled to a workplace free from discrimination.

Filing a complaint does not make someone litigious. It makes them lawfully assertive in defending their civil rights. The right to seek redress without retaliation is fundamental to both civil service and democracy.

Perhaps the better question is not why Isaiah Hugley filed an EEOC charge — but why anyone believes he should be denied a right available to every other worker.

As a community, we owe ourselves better than headlines and half-truths. Read the content. Understand the process. Be informed.