Key facts
- Starbucks agreed to settle a discrimination lawsuit by Florida.
- The settlement prohibits Starbucks from adopting race- or sex-based quotas in hiring, promotion, and pay decisions.
- Starbucks will pay $1 million to the Florida Department of Legal Affairs.
- The company will submit annual certifications of compliance for four years.
- The agreement applies nationwide, according to a spokesperson for Florida's Attorney General.
- A similar lawsuit filed by Missouri against Starbucks was dismissed by a federal judge in February.
Starbucks has agreed to settle a discrimination lawsuit brought by the state of Florida, with the company pledging not to implement race- or sex-based quotas or preferences in its hiring, promotion, and pay decisions. The agreement, jointly announced by Starbucks and Florida's Republican Attorney General James Uthmeier on Thursday, resolves a lawsuit filed by the state in December. Florida had accused the coffee chain of violating state anti-discrimination laws by setting racial quotas and linking executive compensation to diversity goals.
Under the terms of the settlement, Starbucks will pay $1 million to the Florida Department of Legal Affairs to cover litigation costs. The company will also provide annual certifications of compliance for four years and commit to not participating in organizations that mandate increasing the racial diversity of its board. A spokesperson for the Attorney General's office stated that the agreement has nationwide applicability.
Uthmeier commented that the settlement ensures Starbucks' employment practices align with Florida's anti-discrimination laws, emphasizing that "DEI can never be an excuse to violate civil rights." This case is part of a broader movement by Republican officials to challenge diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs across the private sector, government, and education. A similar lawsuit filed by the Missouri Attorney General's office against Starbucks regarding its diversity policies was dismissed by a federal judge in February, though the state is currently appealing that decision.