Labor News & Commentary September 29 EEOC sues Walmart over disability bias at a Wisconsin store & more Starbucks

[Omaha Steve]

https://onlabor.org/september-29-2025/

By Justin Cassera

Justin Cassera is a student at Harvard Law School.

In today’s news and commentary, Starbucks announces a new wave of layoffs and the EEOC sues Walmart over disability bias at a Wisconsin store.

On Thursday, Starbucks announced plans to lay off 900 employees and close hundreds of locations as the company continues to struggle. The company says that 1% of locations, roughly 200 stores, in Canada and the U.S. will close before a strategic refocus on renovations and new openings. The news follows a similar February announcement that saw 1,100 terminations. While the company maintains this is part of the turnaround plan led by CEO Brian Niccol, the firm’s efforts to succeed in an extremely competitive market are being hampered by its prices, labor disputes, and perceived support of Israel’s conduct in Gaza. Starbucks hopes that a combination of faster drinks, no upcharges for non-dairy milks, and a simpler menu will help them retain and expand their dominant footprint in the American coffee landscape.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is suing Walmart over alleged violations of civil rights laws due to the company’s refusal to accommodate intellectually disabled employees. The complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin on Thursday, alleges that Walmart’s Mount Pleasant, Wisconsin location harassed two intellectually disabled employees via namecalling and other conduct that engendered a hostile work environment. The lawsuit comes after a failed attempt by the EEOC to reach a pre-litigation settlement.