Starbucks Settles Discrimination Suit -- Employees Say They Were Fired Because Of Their Race, Age, Sex

Starbucks Corp. has settled a lawsuit filed by two former employees who alleged the Seattle-based gourmet coffee roaster fired them because of their race, age and sex.

The lawsuit, filed in December, stemmed from charges made by Traeci Coleman, an African-American woman, who said she was told by Stuart Fields, her newly hired supervisor, that he would like to call her "Toby, you know, Kunta Kinte's baby," a reference, Coleman said, to the television miniseries "Roots."

Coleman's attorney, Edward Stein, and a Starbucks spokeswoman said they agreed as part of the settlement to say only that the "cases have been resolved and the parties are satisfied with the disposition."

Stein said Coleman alleged that Fields, now a regional vice president, ostracized her after making the comment. Previously, Coleman said, she had been rated superior in job performance and had been promoted four times. She was the Midwest regional coordinator when Fields dismissed her in February 1992.

Lynn Kowats, former regional manager for human resources, witnessed the incident and interceded for Coleman, Stein said in a statement. After the incident, Fields allegedly began making discriminatory comments about Kowats' age and about other female employees, Kowats said. She was fired in March 1992.

The lawsuit against Starbucks grew out of complaints filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in 1992. After the complaints were filed, Starbucks hired a diversity manager and organized an ongoing diversity program.