The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has filed a lawsuit against Coca-Cola Beverages Northeast, alleging sex discrimination for excluding male employees from a company-sponsored networking event attended by 250 women. The lawsuit challenges diversity programming that the EEOC has targeted since President Donald Trump’s overhaul of the agency, and comes in the midst of the EEOC investigating Nike for alleged discrimination against white employees. Coca-Cola Northeast has stated that they look forward to presenting their case in court to be vindicated, while the EEOC seeks monetary compensation for the excluded male employees who suffered financial losses and emotional distress.

Civil rights activists and former Democratic commissioners have criticized EEOC Chair Andrea Lucas for targeting programs such as networking events for specific demographic groups, as they believe these practices help prevent discrimination and eliminate barriers for women and minorities. The EEOC’s lawsuit against the regional Coca-Cola bottler has raised questions about the agency’s priorities and use of limited resources, as discrimination against women in the workplace continues to be a prevalent issue. As the legal battle unfolds, the EEOC has not provided further comments on the lawsuit.