Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier filed a civil rights lawsuit against Starbucks on Wednesday, alleging the coffee chain engaged in employment practices that discriminate based on race.
The 21-page complaint, submitted to Florida’s Tenth Judicial Circuit, claims Starbucks implemented race-based quotas and policies that disadvantage nonminority employees.
According to the filing, over the last five years, Starbucks “excluded or disfavored nonminorities in numerous employment practices and programs.”
The lawsuit highlights executive compensation tied to participation in race-specific mentorship programs, restricted networking and retention opportunities and unequal access to promotions for employees outside certain racial groups, the Tallahassee Democrat reports.
The complaint asserts that promoting diversity does not exempt the company from Florida civil rights law. It adds that these practices have caused “financial, moral, and emotional harm” to Florida residents since 2020.
In a video posted on X, Uthmeier said Starbucks’ diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives went beyond legal boundaries.
“Starbucks made DEI more than a slogan, they turned it into a mandatory hiring and promotions system based on race,” he said. “The coffee empire set numerical racial targets for their workforce, and they tied executive bonuses to those targets. That is brazen discrimination and it is against the law.”
The lawsuit seeks a permanent injunction preventing Starbucks from implementing race-based hiring, pay and promotion policies. Uthmeier is also pursuing $10,000 in damages per civil rights violation, with the potential total running into “tens of millions, if not more.”
The complaint cites guidance from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission that prohibits race-based disparities in assignments, evaluations, pay, training, mentoring or other employment conditions.
Starbucks, which operates over 900 stores across Florida, denied the allegations.
“We disagree. We are deeply committed to creating opportunity for every single one of our partners,” a company spokesperson said, according to NBC Miami. “Our programs and benefits are open to everyone and lawful. Our hiring practices are inclusive, fair and competitive, and designed to ensure the strongest candidate for every job, every time.”
This lawsuit follows a prior case Uthmeier filed in November with the state Division of Administrative Hearings, which the agency dismissed due to a lack of identified individual claimants.
The new filing renews the same allegations, emphasizing that nonminority employees have allegedly been disadvantaged in hiring, pay and professional development over the past five years.
The complaint notes that Starbucks publicly maintained information about these policies on its website and through corporate statements.
It argues that reverse discrimination—discrimination against employees not in minority groups—remains a violation under Florida law and that DEI initiatives cannot justify race-based employment practices.
The case adds to growing national scrutiny over corporate DEI programs, as state officials and legal experts examine whether diversity initiatives comply with civil rights laws.
Several recent lawsuits across the U.S. have challenged DEI policies, raising questions about whether corporate diversity efforts unintentionally violate anti-discrimination statutes.
Uthmeier’s lawsuit underscores the tension between promoting workplace diversity and adhering to nondiscrimination requirements, particularly as large companies like Starbucks implement formal DEI metrics and programs.
With Florida’s thousands of Starbucks employees potentially impacted, the outcome of this case could set a precedent for how corporations nationwide structure DEI programs and ensure compliance with state and federal civil rights laws.
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