Hooters Pays Settlement in Race Discrimination Lawsuit

Most Americans are familiar with Hooters restaurants. The company’s brand is built on its signature wings, televised sports and its waitresses, sometimes referred to as "Hooters Girls." While the outfits and atmosphere might be very casual at a Hooters, it is a place of employment and its owners must follow the law as if everyone were wearing business suits instead of short shorts. 

One Hooters establishment did not apparently abide by anti-discrimination rules however, resulting in a $250,000 payment to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The EEOC's lawsuit alleged that a Hooters location in Greensboro, North Carolina, engaged in discriminatory practices during and after COVID-19-related layoffs. Specifically, the agency claimed that the restaurant committed the following violations:

  • Layoffs disproportionately affected employees of color — Millions of Americans lost their jobs when the pandemic shut down businesses nationwide. Many restaurants and other service establishments where large numbers of people gather in close quarters experienced a near-total loss of business. It is understandable that waitresses were laid off, but at the Greensboro location, women of color were allegedly let go earlier, and in greater numbers than white workers.

  • Employee recalls also showed evidence of bias — As the restaurant began recalling employees, the complaint says it prioritized white employees and those with lighter skin tones, further exacerbating the discriminatory impact of the initial layoffs.

  • Non-white employees faced a hostile work environment — Black and dark-skinned employees were subjected to racial hostility and observed preferential treatment of white employees.

Going forward, the decree specifically prohibits Hooters from making employment decisions based on race or color. This includes decisions that appear to be subjective, but are in fact related to the tone of an existing or potential employee’s skin. Of course, employers rarely come out and say that they’re firing, or failing to hire, someone because of their race. Should you suspect that racial discrimination, or any other type of illegal bias, played a role in an adverse employment decision, you might need an attorney to review patterns of misconduct and other evidence. 

Kardell Law Group fights for victims of workplace discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, age, disability status and other legally protected characteristics. Reach out to us even if you only suspect that you faced illegal mistreatment.