Texas Roadhouse Age Discrimination Class Action Settlement

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has reached a $12 million settlement that will benefit job applicants who were denied employment at Texas Roadhouse restaurants allegedly because of their age.

The EEOC filed this Age Discrmination in Employment Act lawsuit in October 2011, alleging Texas Roadhouse restaurants unlawfully discriminated against older job applicants. Across its nationwide chain of restaurants, Texas Roadhouse allegedly refrained from hiring persons over 40 years of age for front-of-the-house positions.

Texas Roadhouse continues to deny the EEOC’s allegations, and the court has made no decision as to liability. A Texas Roadhouse representative said the company agreed to the settlement in the interest of moving on after a long and hard-fought litigation.

After trial, three attempts at jury deliberation ended in deadlock. U.S. District Judge Denise Casper declared a mistrial and ordered the parties to work out a settlement or come back for a retrial in May 2017.

The settlement is memorialized in a consent decree filed with the court. According to the consent decree, Texas Roadhouse must put up a total of $12 million to cover payments to qualifying claimants who submit valid and timely claims. Payments will be distributed after the number of valid and timely claims has been determined. EEOC will keep none of the settlement fund.

The settlement also requires Texas Roadhouse to take steps to prevent age discrimination in its employment practices. The company must establish a new position of Diversity Director and to submit to a decree compliance minor at the company’s expense. Managers will undergo training on compliance with anti-age discrimination requirements.

Texas Roadhouse will be required to actively recruit persons over the age of 40 for front-of-the-house positions. The consent decree includes a court injunction barring Texas Roadhouse from discriminating against applicants on the basis of age.

Who’s Eligible

The settlement benefits persons who applied for a front-of-the-house position at a company-owned Texas Roadhouse restaurant between Jan. 1, 2007 and Dec. 31, 2014, were qualified for that employment, were 40 or older at the time of application, and were denied employment.

Potential Award

TBD

Individual payments will be determined in part based on the number of valid and timely claims received.

Proof of Purchase

Claims will be evaluated based on Texas Roadhouse’s own records and any information provided by the claimants. The Claim Form asks claimants to submit any available documentation of their earnings since the time of their application with Texas Roadhouse, including information about any subsequent employment and other employers to whom the claimant applied for work.

Claim Form

CLICK HERE TO FILE A CLAIM »

Claimants must enter a Claim ID and PIN to submit an online claim.

NOTE: If you do not qualify for this settlement do NOT file a claim.

Remember: you are submitting your claim under penalty of perjury. You are also harming other eligible Class Members by submitting a fraudulent claim. If you’re unsure if you qualify, please read the FAQ section of the Settlement Administrator’s website to ensure you meet all standards (Top Class Actions is not a Settlement Administrator). If you don’t qualify for this settlement, check out our database of other open class action settlements you may be eligible for.

Claim Form Deadline

Claimants must submit their Claim Form no later than 45 days after the postmark date or email date of the settlement notice they received.

Case Name

EEOC v. Texas Roadhouse Inc., Texas Roadhouse Holdings LLC and Texas Roadhouse Management Corp., Case No. 1:11-cv-11732-DJC, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts

Final Hearing

3/28/2019  UPDATED

Settlement Website

www.EEOCADEASettlement.com

Claims Administrator

EEOC v. Texas Roadhouse, Inc. Administrator
c/o Kurtzman Carson Consultants
P.O. Box 404017
Louisville, KY 40233-4017
info@EEOCADEASettlement.com

Qualifying claimants can also contact the EEOC by phone at 855-556-1129 or by email at texasroadhouse.lawsuit@eeoc.gov.

Class Counsel

Jeffrey Burstein
Raechel L. Adams
Markus L. Penzel
Sara Smolik
James Lee
EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION

Defense Counsel

Christopher J. DeGrof
Rebecca P. DeGroff
Daniel B. Klein
Jason Priebe
Gerald L. Maatman Jr.
David B. Ross
SEYFARTH SHAW LLP

Katherine L.I. Hacker
Rebecca W. Bacon
Eric R. Olson
Brian C. Swanson
Reid M. Bolton
Wesley A. Morrissette
BARTLIT BECK HERMAN PALENCHAR & SCOTT LLP