(LEGAFI) -- A group of Capital Grille employees say they are planning to file a discrimination lawsuit against the high-end steakhouse chain’s owner, Darden Restaurants, Inc., claiming the company gives lucrative "front-of-house" positions to white workers and relegates the low-end jobs to “people of color.”

The restaurant workers will charge in the Capital Grille lawsuit that they were subjected to racial discrimination and violations of state and federal labor laws.
They will also claim that white workers at Capital Grille are given lucrative “front-of-house” positions such as waiter or bartender, while many lower paying “back-of-house” jobs like washing dishes or preparing food are given to people of color, according to Restaurant Opportunities Centers United (ROC), an advocate on industry wages and working conditions.

 

The wage and labor lawsuit will also allege that Capital Grille forced employees to work without pay, did not provide rest breaks to workers, and forced tipped employees to share their tips with non-tipped workers.

Darden is considered one of the country’s “best companies to work for” according to Fortune magazine, and is also one of the few large U.S. corporations led by a chief executive who is a minority.

A Darden spokesman said the company has repeatedly asked for details about the allegations in the lawsuit, but has received no answer.

"If they have something specific, we want to look into it," said Darden spokesman Rich Jeffers. "Darden Restaurants is very proud of the work environment that it creates for employees."