The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) filed a lawsuit Tuesday, February 18, 2026, against Coca-Cola Beverages Northeast, alleging sex discrimination after the company hosted a networking event exclusively for female employees. The suit, filed in New Hampshire district court, centers on a two-day event held in September 2024 at the Mohegan Sun casino resort in Connecticut, attended by approximately 250 women.
According to the EEOC, the event excluded male employees, violating Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The lawsuit was brought on behalf of a male Coca-Cola Beverages Northeast employee who raised concerns about the company’s decision to limit participation to women.
“Excluding men from an employer-sponsored event is a Title VII violation that the EEOC will act to remedy through litigation when necessary,” stated Catherine L. Eschbach, acting EEOC general counsel, in a Wednesday announcement regarding the lawsuit.
The EEOC’s action marks the first lawsuit of its kind concerning employee networking events and comes amid increased scrutiny of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs. The agency is also currently investigating sportswear giant Nike for allegedly discriminating against white employees through its diversity policies, a case revealed just two weeks prior to the Coca-Cola lawsuit.
Coca-Cola Beverages Northeast, Inc. Is a producer, seller, and distributor of Coca-Cola brand products throughout the Northeast United States. The lawsuit challenges the types of diversity programming the EEOC has been actively targeting since changes were implemented under the previous administration.
