Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey filed a lawsuit against Starbucks on Tuesday, accusing the company of race- and sex-based discrimination by favoring people of color and women.
The lawsuit claims that Starbucks setting goals for the representation of people of color and women in its workforce and leadership amounts to illegal discrimination.
The lawsuit states, “Whether described as ‘benign discrimination’ or ‘affirmative action,’ the racial quota is nonetheless a creator of castes, a two-edged sword that must demean one in order to prefer another.”
The lawsuit compares hiring goals to affirmative action in college admissions, referencing the 2023 court case in which the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against the practice.
A Starbucks spokesperson disputed the allegations.
“We disagree with the Attorney General, and these allegations are inaccurate,” the spokesperson said in a statement. “We are deeply committed to creating opportunity for every single one of our partners (employees). Our programs and benefits are open to everyone and lawful.”
The lawsuit claims that “since 2020, Starbucks’ workforce has become more female and less white” and that Starbucks’ hiring practices are creating higher prices and longer waits.
The lawsuit also alleges that programs designed to connect female employees, LGBTQ employees and employees of color with mentors are discriminatory due to not being open to white men.
Bailey’s office could not immediately be reached for comment on the lawsuit.
Diversity, equity and inclusion programs, commonly known as DEI, have become a target of President Donald Trump and other elected officials in Missouri and across the country.
The River City Journalism Fund supports St. Louis Public Radio's Statehouse internship. Evy Lewis is the 2025 reporting intern. See rcjf.org for more information about the fund, which seeks to advance journalism in St. Louis.
