US civil rights agency sues Coca-Cola bottler over event that excluded men | Trump administration
A U.S. civil rights agency has filed a lawsuit against a bottler and distributor of Coca-Cola products, accusing it of gender discrimination over an employee networking event that excluded men, the first lawsuit related to workplace diversity programs since Donald Trump took office. The lawsuit, filed Tuesday by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, says Coca-Cola Beverages Northeast violated federal law when it hosted the event at a Connecticut casino in September 2024, attended by approximately 250 female employees.
The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment. It is owned by Kirin Holdings, a Japanese company. Coca-Cola is not a defendant in the lawsuit.
The case in New Hampshire federal court is an early test of claims by Trump administration officials, including EEOC chief Andrea Lucas, that many widespread workplace diversity, equity and inclusion programs amount to illegal “reverse discrimination.” Trump has moved aggressively to eliminate DEI from the federal government, the private sector, and higher education, saying DEI is discriminatory and erodes merit-based decision-making.
DEI refers to a broad set of programs and policies that supporters say promote the fair treatment and full participation of groups that have historically been underrepresented or discriminated against. The commission is investigating Nike and Northwestern Mutual for allegedly discriminating against white workers and last year required 20 major law firms to turn over information about their DEI policies.
But the lawsuit against the Coca-Cola bottler was the first filed by the EEOC alleging that a diversity-focused workplace program was unlawful.
Catherine Eschbach, the EEOC’s acting general counsel, said it is illegal to exclude a protected class of workers, such as men, from any employer-sponsored activity.
“The EEOC is committed to ensuring that all employees, men and women, have equal access to all aspects of their employment,” Eschbach said in a statement.
The two-day networking event included a social reception, team-building exercises, entertainment events and speakers including a senior executive from Coca-Cola, the commission said in the lawsuit.
According to the lawsuit, Coca-Cola Beverages Northeast exempted female employees who attended the event from their regular job duties without requiring them to take paid leave and covered all hotel room expenses.
