Overview

• America First Legal filed complaints on July 21 with the Tennessee Attorney General and the EEOC alleging that Cracker Barrel’s DEI policies violate Title VII and Tennessee’s Human Rights Act
• The complaints cite Business Resource Groups such as “Be Bold” for Black leaders and “HOLA” for Hispanic and Latino staff as examples of race- and gender-specific benefits
• Cracker Barrel’s SEC filings describe its Diverse Employee Leadership Talent Advancement (DELTA) program and show at least a 3% rise in representation of women and ethnic minorities since fiscal 2022
• Investigators are expected to examine internal communications and probe whether contractors were used to circumvent civil rights laws
• The challenge invokes Supreme Court precedent barring race-balancing measures and reflects a broader conservative pushback against corporate DEI initiatives