A class action lawsuit has been filed in Alameda County Superior Court alleging racial and age discrimination by In-N-Out, the popular fast-food burger restaurant. The plaintiffs are two black men over 40 who claim that they were denied employment by the company. According to the lawsuit, the chain allegedly "recruits, hires and maintains a workforce that is predominantly under the age of 40 and/or non-African-American."
They are seeking back pay and damages for them and others who were allegedly denied employment for the same reasons. The vice president of In-N-Out has said the company will "aggressively defend itself," and that the company "hires from our local communities and our restaurants reflect the demographics of that community."
A company as large as In-N-Out has deep enough pockets to fight this case all the way. The plaintiffs in this case may not have the same luxuries, and so coming to an agreement outside of litigation might be their best bet. An interesting aspect of this case to follow will be the "class action" element, and how many people who have applied for jobs with In-N-Out have been turned away for invalid reasons. Moreover, it may be possible that wrongful termination suits may arise if employees feel they were pushed out of the brand for racial or age causes.
It is not always easy to come forward or express feelings of discrimination. An experienced attorney in representing workers against businesses, big and small, can be an excellent resource for people who feel they may have been discriminated against in the workplace.
Source: Patch, "Lawsuit Accuses In-N-Out Of Racial and Age Discrimination," Tom Abate, Sep. 6, 2012
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