TALLAHASSEE, Fla., Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has filed a lawsuit accusing Starbucks of carrying out racially discriminatory hiring and promotion practices, escalating a conservative legal campaign against corporate DEI policies. Uthmeier said the company “turned DEI into a mandatory hiring and promotion system based on race,” arguing that the coffee chain violated state anti-discrimination laws through initiatives introduced in 2020.
The complaint says multiple Florida residents, including long-time Starbucks employees, contacted the attorney general’s office claiming they felt “excluded” by company practices. One individual who reportedly worked at Starbucks for 17 years alleged that workers of certain races were paid higher wages than peers with similar experience. Uthmeier also cited the company’s stated goal of increasing representation of people of color in retail and corporate positions, along with supplier diversity targets and participation-focused mentorship programs, as evidence of unlawful conduct.
Starbucks said it “disagrees” with the lawsuit and maintains its hiring practices are inclusive, lawful, and open to all employees. A spokesperson added that the company’s programs are designed to ensure the strongest candidate is selected for each job.
The lawsuit seeks to bar Starbucks from continuing the alleged practices and requests damages and $10,000 in civil penalties for each discriminatory act. Uthmeier claims “tens of millions” of Florida residents could be affected, given the state’s more than 900 stores, though the complaint does not detail how those individuals were harmed.
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