Advocacy group stands by Florida AG’s lawsuit against Starbucks over racial discrimination

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(The Center Square) – A consumer protection organization says it stands by Florida Attorney General James Ulthmeier suing Starbucks for what it calls its racially discriminatory employment practices such as using race as a factor in hiring and wages.

Executive director of Consumers’ Research Will Hild told The Center Square: “Starbucks is finally being held accountable for its woke ways.”

“For so long woke companies like Starbucks have got away with unlawful discriminatory practices propagandized as virtue,” Hild said. “AG Uthmeier’s lawsuit against Starbucks holds the company accountable for pushing illegal, race-based policies instead of focusing on consumers.”

“Lawsuits like this also serve as a warning to other companies to put an end to DEI policies once and for all or to prepare to face the same fate as Starbucks,” Hild added.

When contacted twice by email, Starbucks’ media relations did not respond.

Hild told The Center Square that “Starbucks’ discriminatory DEI practices are harmful to both consumers and employees because it prioritizes race over competence.” 

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier stated in an X post this week: “Using DEI as an excuse to hire, promote, or humiliate an employee based on race violates Florida's civil rights law, and we just filed a lawsuit to hold Starbucks accountable.” 

By publishing time, the Florida Attorney General’s Office of Communications had not yet responded to The Center Square’s two requests for comment. 

In the lawsuit, Uthmeier stated that Starbucks has “established racial quotas and goals for hiring” and “paid employees different wages because of their race,” along with other racially exclusionary or discriminatory practices. 

The lawsuit alleges that for the past five years, Starbucks “has excluded or disfavored nonminorities in numerous employment practices and programs.” 

“But civil rights protections extend to everyone – both minorities and nonminorities,” the lawsuit said.

“it is unlawful discrimination for an employer to be motivated even in part by race in making an employment decision,” the lawsuit said. “Employers cannot justify taking an employment action based on race simply because the employer wants to promote diversity.”