Panera Bread Race Discrimination Case Set For Settlement

A race discrimination lawsuit against a Panera Bread restaurant franchise in Pennsylvania will be settled, according to a Class Action Settlement Agreement filed in U.S. District Court on July 27, 2012. The original complaint filed by Guy M. Vines, alleged that the fast food restaurant chain would deny promotions to and keep customers away from employees who were labeled by the company as “fat, black, or ugly.” If approved, the potential settlement would give back pay to black non-management employees who worked at 200 Panera Bread restaurants owned by Covelli Enterprises from January 2008 to January 2012, along with attorney’s fees in the amount of $66,000.  Workers covered by the settlement will get 70 cents per hour for each hour they worked from their one-year anniversary date until either their termination from the restaurant or the date the settlement is approved.