The New York Times revealed that a jury directed Starbucks to hand over $25.6 million to a former regional supervisor.

She was fired in 2018 after a viral episode in which staff members called law enforcement on two black men. The jury determined Starbucks fired the woman because she was white.

An incident in 2018, in which an employee of Starbucks phoned law enforcement on two black men who refused to vacate the store, prompted charges of racism.

This led to a public apology from the CEO of Starbucks and a one-day shutdown of 8,000 locations for training on prejudice.

According to the New York Times, Starbucks fired Shannon Phillips, who supervised approximately a hundred stores in the region, as a result of the incident.

A jury determined that Starbucks dismissed Phillips based on her ethnic origin, doing so as an infraction of her federal civil liberties and a New Jersey law barring race-based discrimination.

As reported by the New York Times, two black males had been waiting for someone else to join them at the Rittenhouse Square Starbucks in Philly when one of them requested to use the restroom.

A staff member refused and requested the men leave; when they said no, the employee contacted the police, who detained both men, prompting swift outrage and demonstrations.

One of Phillips’ higher-ups, a black woman, instructed Phillips to suspend a white manager who supervised other stores in Philadelphia, rather than the Rittenhouse Square location, for alleged discriminatory behavior Phillips believed to be false.

Phillips refused and was fired. According to Phillips, the store supervisor where the event occurred was black and he promoted the staff member who contacted the police.

According to the New York Times, Phillips claimed in her action that Starbucks was penalizing white staff members who weren’t involved in the Rittenhouse Square altercation.

After six years as a district supervisor in Ohio, she was promoted, due to her exemplary performance. Per the New York Times, Starbucks settled with the two men apprehended in the Philadelphia episode and did not pursue charges.