EEOC sues Coca-Cola Beverages Northeast, alleging men were barred from a women’s forum
AP News • • nation
Key Points:
- The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has sued Coca-Cola Beverages Northeast for sex discrimination, alleging the company excluded male employees from a women-only networking event in September 2024, violating Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
- The lawsuit claims Coca-Cola Northeast paid for attendees' lodging, meals, and salaries during the event, and the EEOC seeks monetary compensation for a class of men who experienced financial and emotional harm due to exclusion.
- This legal action reflects the EEOC's intensified scrutiny of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs under Chair Andrea Lucas, who has criticized corporate DEI initiatives and urged white men to report workplace discrimination.
- Coca-Cola Northeast expressed disappointment over the
