Main points
- The US Civil Rights Agency has filed a lawsuit against Coca-Cola, alleging gender discrimination for hosting a women-only event.
- No men were present at the two-day event, which included a variety of activities.
Coca-Cola accused of gender discrimination / Depositphotos
Coca-Cola held a networking event for about 250 female employees in one US state, but there were no men at the event. As a result, the company was sued, accusing them of gender discrimination.
What is known about Coca-Cola's accusations of gender discrimination?
The lawsuit against the beverage manufacturer was filed by the US Civil Rights Agency, Reuters writes.
It alleges that Coca-Cola Beverages Northeast violated federal law when it hosted an event for approximately 250 female employees at a Connecticut casino in September 2024. The problem is that no men were invited to the event.
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) member Catherine Eschbach stated that excluding a man from any employer-sponsored event is illegal.
In the lawsuit, the commission noted that the two-day networking event included:
- social reception;
- team building exercises;
- entertainment events;
- speeches by speakers, including a top manager from Coca-Cola.
The company also exempted employees who attended the event from their regular work duties, without requiring them to use paid leave, and covered all their hotel room expenses.
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