"A US civil rights agency has sued a bottler and distributor of Coca-Cola products it accuses of sex discrimination over an employee networking event that excluded men, its first lawsuit over workplace diversity programs since Donald Trump took office. The lawsuit, filed Tuesday by the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, says Coca-Cola Beverages Northeast violated federal law when it hosted the event for about 250 female employees at a casino in Connecticut in September 2024."
"The case in New Hampshire federal court is an early test of claims by Trump administration officials, including the EEOC chair Andrea Lucas, that many common workplace diversity, equity and inclusion programs amount to unlawful reverse discrimination. Trump has moved aggressively to eradicate DEI from the federal government, the private sector and higher education, saying it is discriminatory and erodes merit-based decision-making. DEI refers to a broad array of programs and policies that supporters say promote the fair treatment and full participation of groups that historically have been underrepresented or faced discrimination."
"But the lawsuit against the Coca-Cola bottler is the first by the EEOC to claim that a diversity-focused workplace program is unlawful. The EEOC's acting general counsel, Catherine Eschbach, said that excluding a protected class of workers such as men from any employer-sponsored event is illegal. The EEOC remains committed to ensuring that all employees men and women alike enjoy equal access to all aspects of their employment, Eschbach said in a statement."
The US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed a lawsuit against Coca-Cola Beverages Northeast over an employee networking event that excluded men, held for about 250 female employees at a Connecticut casino in September 2024. The suit alleges the exclusion violated federal law and marks the EEOC's first lawsuit claiming a diversity-focused workplace program is unlawful. The case in New Hampshire federal court tests Trump administration claims that many DEI programs constitute unlawful reverse discrimination. The EEOC has also investigated other employers and demanded DEI information from major law firms. The agency says excluding a protected class from employer events is illegal.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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