Lawsuits

Chicago Restaurant Group Sued for Racial Discrimination

In hot water with the EEOC.
In hot water with the EEOC. Photo: Rosebud

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has filed a lawsuit against Rosebud Restaurants group, which runs ten restaurants, claiming the company refused to hire African-Americans. According to the suit, restaurant group managers, including the chain’s owner, “prefer not” to hire African-American candidates and used racial slurs. Following a complaint filed by one turned-down applicant last year, the EEOC reportedly tried and failed to reach an agreement with the Chicago chain for eight months; the agency is now seeking back pay and damages for workers denied jobs, as well as a permanent injunction to prevent the restaurant from future discrimination. Rosebud denies the charges, insisting in a statement, “We consider it our mission to treat our employees as family - with honesty and respect - and we are proud of our employment record and the diversity of our workforce.” Based on investigation findings that the restaurant group employs “few if any” black employees in its ten Chicago restaurants, however, that family is narrowly defined. [Chicago Tribune]

Chicago Restaurant Group Sued for Racial Discrimination