News Article

Settlements Reached Before the Jury Verdict

The National Law Journal

Published: February 19, 2001

One of the most publicized settlements came in the employment discrimination action against Coca-Cola Co. The plaintiffs, some 2,000 African-American workers at Coke, charged the company with "systemic racial discrimination in policies and practices for promotions, compensation and evaluations," said plaintiffs' counsel Cyrus Mehri of Washington, D.C. 's Mehri, Malkin & Ross.

In November, Coke announced that it would pay the plaintiffs $ 192.5 million, plus institute changes in employment practices; the settlement won preliminary court approval Dec. 22. Abdallah v. The Coca-Cola Co. , 188CV3679 (RWS) (N.D. Ga. ).