According to the Los Angeles Times, Best Buy is facing a potential class action lawsuit brought by several women and racial/ethnic minority employees who claim that Best Buy discriminated against them due to their gender and/or race/ethnicity:

Lawyers for the plaintiffs, including Bill Lann Lee, former U.S. assistant attorney general for civil rights, also portrayed the alleged discrimination as part of a company ethic that focuses on serving white customers. They cited a company policy requiring salespeople to target buyers matching four hypothetical models -- all white. . . .

Lawyers for the plaintiffs contended that the customer profiles were part of an environment in which white males were systematically favored for choice sales jobs, more likely to get raises and promotions and disproportionately represented in management. . . .

These discrimination suits against mega-retailers reflect, in part, the lack of union grievance procedures that would have provided another channel for employee discontent, said Harley Shaiken, a UC Berkeley professor who studies labor issues.

Best Buy has faced other discrimination claims. Last year, 60 former information systems employees at its Minnesota headquarters sued the retailer for $50 million, alleging they were laid off because of their ages. That suit is still pending.

Of course, in the U.S. (at least in theory), defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty. However, in light of Best Buy’s history of employment discrimination lawsuits and the number of plaintiffs alleging gender and racial discrimination in this particular case, I am leaning toward believing these plaintiffs, rather than Best Buy.

These allegations come as somewhat as a surprise given that the Human Rights Campaign Foundation listed Best Buy as having a “100% Corporate Equality” scale rating when it comes to gay/lesbian employments rights. However, as is so often the case, actions speak louder than words.

Therefore, for the time being, I am placing Best Buy on my dreaded Boycott List, which includes other infamous businesses as Walmart, Exxon/Mobil, Coca Cola, Denny’s Restaurants, and Cracker Barrel Restaurants.