Trump admin brings Chinese vs non Chinese lawsuit against 99 ranch mkt ( asian store)

https://www.sfgate.com/food/article/99-ranch-supermarket-federal-lawsuit-22329010.php

Asian supermarket chain 99 Ranch has been hit with a federal lawsuit alleging that the company racially discriminated against non-Chinese employees when it wrongfully terminated staff based on their race.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed a complaint on Tuesday alleging that 99 Ranch’s parent company, Tawa Supermarket Inc., started discriminating against non-Chinese employees as early as 2016, when the employees were not promoted or were paid less than their Chinese colleagues. The lawsuit alleges that several non-Chinese employees were terminated without reason while their Chinese colleagues remained employed.

Catherine Eschbach, acting general counsel for the EEOC, said in a statement that the chain’s Asian ownership did not give it an excuse to discriminate against non-Chinese workers.

“The EEOC will not hesitate to bring litigation to make clear to employers that cultural preference regarding the composition of their workforce does not insulate them from liability,” Eschbach said. “Preferences based on protected characteristics are simply a form of illegal discrimination.”

In an emailed statement to SFGATE, a spokesperson for Tawa Supermarket Inc. said the claims brought by the EEOC were without “merit” and shared that it plans to defend the case.