The plaintiffs allege the firm, among other things, served fried chicken and Big Red soda “to its handful of African American employees only” at a firm-sponsored celebration of Juneteenth, a holiday that commemorates the announcement of the abolition of slavery in Texas and the emancipation of African-American citizens throughout the United States.
One of the ex-employees claims he was retaliated against for complaining about the Juneteenth incident, while the other says she felt pressure to return to work despite being put on bed rest for her pregnancy. She says she was told by the firm’s human resources manager to not have a “mad, bitter black attitude.”