'Extreme & outrageous' | Starbucks faces discrimination lawsuit over alleged harassment

A former Starbucks manager has filed a lawsuit against the coffee chain, claiming he faced discrimination and harassment at work due to his sexual orientation.

Christopher Thevanesan, a former store manager in Rochester, New York, alleges he was treated unfairly because he is a "heterosexual, gender typical man."

According to his lawsuit, Thevanesan’s supervisors ignored what he described as "extreme and outrageous" harassment from LGBTQ+ employees at his store.

Filed under New York State’s Human Rights Law, the Thevanesan complaint claims colleagues created a hostile work environment and that Starbucks management failed to intervene.

Facilitating harassment

He says that he reported the harassment to higher-ups, who "aided, abetted, tolerated, condoned, and facilitated the harassment.”

Thevanesan was dismissed in February 2022. He contends his termination followed fabricated accusations and was intended to conceal the real reason for his dismissal - his sexual orientation and gender identity.

"He was given several different conflicting reasons for why he was discharged," said Thevanesan's attorney, Neil Flynn, adding that the alleged harassment had a lasting impact on his client both personally and professionally.

Broader implications and legal context

The case is similar to a recent high-profile legal dispute involving Marlean Ames, an Ohio woman who claimed she was denied a promotion due to her heterosexuality.

Ames alleged her employer, the Ohio Department of Youth Services, demoted her and replaced her with a gay man. After an unsuccessful appeal to the Sixth US Circuit Court of Appeals, Ames took her case to the Supreme Court. If the court rules in Ames' favor, the decision could expand legal protections for those alleging "reverse discrimination.”

Meanwhile, Starbucks has faced recent scrutiny over its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices. Last month, the State of Missouri sued the company, claiming its DEI policies were contributing to operational delays, an assertion Starbucks has rejected as “inaccurate."

Thevanesan's lawsuit highlights ongoing debates around discrimination, workplace harassment, and employer accountability.

As HR leaders and business executives navigate these issues, the case could prompt closer scrutiny of workplace conduct policies and the treatment of employees across different demographics.

Starbucks has yet to publicly comment on the case.