A US civil rights agency has sued a bottler and distributor of Coca-Cola products, accusing it of sex discrimination over an employee networking event that excluded men. The lawsuit, filed on Tuesday by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), is the first such case against workplace diversity programmes since Donald Trump took office.
The EEOC alleges that Coca-Cola Beverages Northeast violated federal law when it hosted a two-day event for about 250 female employees at a casino in Connecticut in September 2024. The event featured a social reception, team-building exercises, recreational activities and speakers, including a top Coca-Cola executive.
The company excused female attendees from their normal work duties without requiring them to use paid time off, and covered all hotel charges, according to the lawsuit. The EEOC's acting general counsel, Catherine Eschbach, said that excluding a protected class of workers such as men from any employer-sponsored event is illegal.
The case is an early test of claims by Trump administration officials, including EEOC chair Andrea Lucas, that many common workplace diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programmes amount to unlawful 'reverse discrimination'. Trump has moved aggressively to eradicate DEI from the federal government, the private sector and higher education.
The company, owned by Japan's Kirin Holdings, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Coca-Cola is not a defendant in the case.
