Starbucks manager gets more than $25 million after ‘racial firing’

No subject is as sensitive in America as racism. A regional manager of coffee chain Starbucks was fired after an alleged racist incident. Now she will receive more than $ 25 million dollars because she was fired because of her skin color, according to a federal court.

Almost all American media reports on the case. Manager Shannon Phillips was fired by Starbucks in 2018 after working for the chain for more than 13 years. She successfully contested that dismissal.

The coffee chain accused it of not showing enough leadership after an incident in April 2018. Two black men were early for a business meeting and wanted to wait for a third person and to go to the toilet before ordering something. Starbucks staff then called the police, who handcuffed and arrested them. The incident, which was filmed, sparked anger across the country. The men have since settled with Starbucks and the city of Philadelphia.

Dismissed

Starbucks went deep into the dust and had several employees involved in the arrest fired. However, according to Phillips, she was instructed to also fire white employees in the Philadelphia area whom she knew had nothing to do with it. She refused. She was subsequently fired herself. Because of her skin color, claims the manager, who therefore went to court.

At a federal court in New Jersey, a jury was allowed to rule on it this week and it agrees with the woman. She was awarded $600,000 in punitive damages plus $25 million in punitive damages – a fine that should encourage the company to do better in the future. Starbucks is considering legal action, the company told CNN.

Since the incident, Starbucks has made it a policy that visitors are allowed to sit in the cafes and use the restroom without consumption. In addition, no less than 175,000 employees have followed training against prejudice.