The hiring manager alleged that a general manager of a Florida Whataburger restaurant directed her to “hire white, and not black, applicants for employment.” The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed the suit on behalf of the hiring manager, named Ms. Burrows.
Whataburger denied the allegations noting in a comment to KSAT that “in the timeframe of [Ms. Borrows’] allegations, 81% of employees hired in the Tallahassee market were African American and 93% of new hires were African American at the restaurant where she worked.”
The hiring manager alleged she faced physical and verbal abuse, threats, a schedule change and extra work duties that forced her to quit. Whataburger rejected allegations that it retaliated against Burrows, but as part of the settlement is required to establish new human resources policies, hold live and computer-based training and establish an anonymous complaints hotline.
“In this lawsuit, an employee risked her own livelihood to take a stand against race discrimination," said Robert Weisberg, regional attorney for the EEOC’s Miami District. “We are pleased that Whataburger is compensating her and making positive changes to its workplace.”