Whole Foods Settles Lawsuit Over Black Lives Matter Mask Firing

Whole Foods has agreed to settle a lawsuit accused of firing Savannah Kinzer for wearing a Black Lives Matter facemask and complaining about racism. This lawsuit followed protests over George Floyd's killing. The settlement terms are undisclosed, and the trial was set for August 19.

Whole Foods has reached an agreement to settle a lawsuit alleging it illegally fired a worker for refusing to remove her Black Lives Matter facemask and raising complaints about racism at the Amazon-owned grocery chain.

Legal papers filed on Monday in federal court in Boston indicate that Whole Foods and Savannah Kinzer, who worked at a store in Cambridge, Massachusetts, have agreed in principle to resolve the case. Kinzer was the last plaintiff in a 2020 lawsuit initiated as a proposed class action challenging Whole Foods' dress code that barred attire related to the Black Lives Matter movement. A trial date was scheduled for Aug. 19.

The settlement terms remain undisclosed, and neither Whole Foods nor Kinzer's lawyer responded to requests for comment. The lawsuit emerged following national protests after George Floyd's death in May 2020. Whole Foods began disciplining employees for wearing Black Lives Matter facemasks, citing its dress code aimed at creating a welcoming environment. Kinzer and other employees contended that the dress code was previously unenforced.

Kinzer claimed she was terminated for protesting outside her store, refusing demands to stop wearing the mask, and speaking to the press. She filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and sued on behalf of other workers in July 2020, alleging the mask ban was racially discriminatory.

Although courts initially dismissed those discrimination claims, the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston revived Kinzer's individual claim in April, suggesting a jury should decide if her firing constituted illegal retaliation.

(With inputs from agencies.)