Starbucks ordered to pay over $25 million to white former manager who claimed racial discrimination

A New Jersey jury ruled unanimously in favor of a former Starbucks employee who sued the company for wrongful termination, claiming that she was fired for being white.

Shannon Phillips, a former regional director for the chain, claimed in a lawsuit first filed in 2019 that "her race was a determinative factor" in Starbucks' decision to fire her in the wake of a 2018 racial firestorm.

After a six-day trial, the jury returned a verdict, ordering the coffee giant to pay $25.6 million in settlement money, including punitive and compensatory damages, according to Phillips' attorneys.

In April 2018, two Black men -- Donte Robinson and Rashon Nelson -- were arrested while waiting for a business meeting after an employee called 911 and accused the men of trespassing after they refused to make a purchase or leave the store. The arrests sparked nationwide protests and prompted Starbucks to close some of its stores for a day for racial bias training.