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Starbucks Age Discrimination Class Action Lawsuit Overview:
- Who: Markel Oden has filed a class action lawsuit against Starbucks Corporation.
- Why: The plaintiff alleges Starbucks discriminates against older employees and favors those younger than age 40.
- Where: The lawsuit is pending in Georgia federal court.
Starbucks’ culture and practices favor younger applicants at the expense of their older counterparts, a new class action lawsuit claims.
Lead plaintiff Markel Oden claims that individuals 40 years of age and older are rarely offered store manager positions, whether by application from persons outside the company or from internal applications from employees seeking promotion from within related to posted openings.
“Over the last five or more years, Starbucks has engaged in a targeted, systematic scheme to eliminate and terminate as many of its older workers as possible and become younger in its staffed workforce,” the class action lawsuit states.
Oden claims Starbucks has also terminated a high percentage of its older workers over the age of 40, as compared to its employees under 40, including many employees who had long-standing careers with the company and who did not have a history of written disciplinary action in an effort to obtain a younger workforce.
Starbucks Worker Passed Over for Promotions, Terminated Without Warning, Claims Class Action
Oden, 59, says his superior, who is in her 30s, was promoted to district manager in 2019, after just 3 years as a store manager. He claims he was never given any opportunity to interview for the position when it was open—despite the fact that he had been a store manager for 3 years.
Oden was then terminated from his position in July 2021 without being formally written up or disciplined for any reasons, he says. He also says his last annual job review was excellent. However, he claims he was terminated without warning and without being offered an alternative of a lower-level position
Starbucks also has been found to have had discriminatory employment practices toward African Americans, and even settled with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in 2021, according to the lawsuit.
In recent years, Starbucks has been accused of depriving employment applicants of their right to correct or explain erroneous background check reports.
The ubiquitous coffee company has also been accused of discriminating against hearing-impaired individuals at certain Starbucks locations.
Are you a Starbucks employee aged 40 or older who feels the company has discriminated against you because of your age? Let us know in the comments!
The plaintiff is represented by Mitchell L. Feldman, Esq. of Feldman Legal Group.
The Starbucks Age Discrimination Class Action Lawsuit is Oden v. Starbucks Corporation, Case No. 1:21-cv-04869-AT-WEJ in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia Atlanta Division.
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47 thoughts onStarbucks Favors Younger Workers, Eliminates Those Over 40, New Class Action Claims
I was terminated for not being woke enough. I’m in my 50s and the younger staff worked to get me fired making some pretty extreme accusations. This was my 1st and only complaint after 8 years of hard work, dedication, and loyalty.
add me
I was 100% forced to resign or be terminated from Starbucks due to my age. I would like to be added to the lawsuit.
I use to work at Starbucks for almost 10 years and they just let me go because I am over 45+ years. I would like to be add to the to the law suit.
I would love to be added! I was recently terminated after raising concerns of discrimination. Impeccable reviews, exceeded key metrics applauded throughout company but once I raised those discrimination claims. My name was mud and due to collusion from other biased peers was terminated due to lies. This company still has unfair hiring practices. Jobs are not posted for everyone to apply. We know the store is open with no manager, but all you see is an organizational memo congratulating them in their needs role. The lawsuit from the EEOC did nothing to curtail their ways. I could go on for days…they need to be stopped or taught that in order to live the so called mission and values you stand by, those values also apply to hiring.
I completely agree with Molly I am battling with them for the same reasons I filed a complaint with ethics and was terminated later for a made up theft that I have proof I was sabotaged. They wanted me out due to the complaint. Applauded through the company for living mission and values exceeded metrics but was terminated for a made up theft. It’s simply because I filed the grievance against my DM. This company needs to be stopped because again the EEOC case was not enough they still don’t promote POC and if you bring up discrimination a target is placed on your back. Also I tried to resign and my DM wouldn’t take my resignation and fired me two days later.
First was passed up for a promotion, so they graciously allowed me to study and learn to earn my black apron and increase sales…all the while looking at my race and the fact that I was older than most of my co-workers. 4 years I waited to be promoted or to get to full time, once management saw my kids, there was no more discussion of promotion, hours reduced and the black apron became a badge of nothing. .
Include me. I had to quit after 10
Years with company.
I’ve applied on two different occasions, after being told that they are hiring. I’ve called to follow up. I have the open availability they “require” and the experience. I never heard from them. Please include me in this lawsuit.
I apied 3 weeks ago they never called!! Age discrimination very bad !!! Should not be that way!!! I have much more experience then them !!!!!!
I can be a witness where I was told as a store manager there were hiring restrictions and not to hire over a certain age. At the time I knew it was wrong but I had a family to feed, which doesn’t matter because they fired me as well. But I was told by my DM to not hire anyone over 40
i applied for a job at starbuck about two years ago and never heard from them so i called them and they told me they had filled the position that i applied for for i went there and you would not believe the younger people that work there i could not believe it and i have more experence than most of them that work there so please ad me to your list and thank you