The makers of Bud Light, who are facing a nationwide public backlash over promoting trans-activism in the name of diversity, have found themselves amid a civil rights complaint for racist and sexist hiring practices.
“The evidence is that Anheuser-Busch is knowingly, intentionally, and unlawfully discriminating based on race, color, national origin, and sex with respect to employment and job training opportunities,” said the April 17 complaint (pdf) filed by public charity America First Legal (AFL) with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) against beverage manufacturer Anheuser-Busch.
AFL pointed to the Missouri-based company’s 2023 Leadership Accelerator Program, which provides leadership-development programs for individuals who identify as historically underrepresented groups as they join the company in a full-time capacity.
“We encourage candidates who identify as Black, Latinx, and Native American to apply, as well as those who identify with a historically underrepresented group,” according to the program’s job profile. The company insists that it is an “equal opportunity employer.”
AFL slammed such tactics, pointing out that the Leadership Accelerator Program notably excludes white and Asian-American citizens.
In a recent post, the nonprofit accuses the company of discriminating based on race, color, national origin, and sex in their employment practices under the cloak of equity.
“It is a fast-track program to executive leadership positions at Anheuser-Busch, and it is limited to candidates based on race. The proforma Equal Opportunity Employer language at the end of the posting does mask the company’s discriminatory intent and purpose,” the letter states.
In addition, Anheuser-Busch’s diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) strategy also boosted the presence of women in the company’s senior leadership team, the organization said.
Exclusionary Practices?
AFL points out that federal law forbids an employer from discriminating against an existing or potential employee due to the person’s race, color, national origin, sex, or religion. In addition, employers are also forbidden from limiting, segregating, or classifying employees or applicants in such a discriminatory manner that would affect the individual’s employment opportunities.
“A commissioner’s charge is particularly appropriate here because there is ample reason to believe that Anheuser-Busch has knowingly and intentionally violated federal law and will continue to do so,” the letter said.
