CNN reports that Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey has filed a lawsuit this week against Starbucks, arguing that the company’s DEI program is discriminatory and results in slower service. Starbucks denied the allegations, saying its DEI policy was “designed to ensure the strongest candidate for every job every time.” This lawsuit is an early example of what legal experts expect to be a wave of litigation following President Donald Trump’s executive order threatening federal investigations over “illegal DEI” programs, which the administration claims are “discriminatory.” Many corporations have been swiftly reviewing their DEI policies to try to comply with the new administration’s expectations. Missouri alleges that Starbucks’ DEI programs are a “pretext for… unlawful discrimination” and race-based hiring, which it argues result in “more mistakes” at work and more expensive products. The company’s initiatives to increase minority representation include a minority mentorship program and employee resource groups, among others. Jason Schwartz, a lawyer with Gibson Dunn, called the lawsuit a “stretch” because it targets diversity programs that are open to everyone, regardless of race.
