Breakthru Beverage Illinois has settled with the EEOC for $950,000 and other terms, including anti-discrimination training, diversity initiatives, revisions to its anti-discrimination policy, and the implementation of a tracking system relative to workplace demographics. At the center of the case is whether sales employees were discriminated against relative to their account and territory assignments. This perception (of discriminatory assignments) can be found in many industries, including law.
Business Takeaway: Many presume workplace discrimination to be more explicit (e.g., pay discrepancies, applicants rejected on an arguably protected basis). However, this investigation focused on the opportunities provided to various sales employees. While the company in this case maintains it was not discriminating (and that “pay and benefits are the same” for all employees), the settlement sum suggests it sensed it had significant exposure on the issue. Contact Corey at 414-446-8800 or corey@goldsteinsc.com regarding employee discrimination.
