To: Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson
Starbucks Begins Discriminating on October 1
Tell Starbucks to stop discriminating against dads, gay families, adoptive parents and hourly employees through its unequal paid parental policy.
Why is this important?
I like working at Starbucks on Saturday mornings. That’s when the families come in with their little ones in tow after soccer practice or dance rehearsals or a fun day in the park.
But seeing parents with their kids while I’m on shift sometimes makes me incredibly sad. I want to start a family of my own one day, but as a gay man, Starbucks doesn’t believe I should be included in its paid parental leave policy.
In a little more than a month, the company I love will begin discriminating against people like me, who will be adopting children to start our families, by omitting us completely from their paid parental leave policy.
Tell Starbucks to stop discriminating against dads, gay families, adoptive parents and hourly employees through its unequal paid parental policy.
Just two years ago, Starbucks was proud to stand up for the rights of LGBTQ+ people to marry the people they love. But today, they’re planning to implement a parental leave policy that disproportionately leaves LGBTQ+ people out.
When Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson assumed his new position this spring, he said, “We’re in the business of doing things that are based on our principles….and things that we think make our partners proud and that help us with our business.” This is a moment for him to live up to that promise.
When I decide to have a family, I want to be able to be there for my child for those first critical months, but Starbucks’ policy leaves me out.
I’m not the only one. Under the new parental leave policy, Starbucks will give corporate moms 3x more maternity leave than baristas — and while corporate office dads and adoptive parents will have 12 weeks, those of us in the stores get no time at all. And because the vast majority of Starbucks’ employees of color work in stores, thousands of us will be left out.
Join me in asking CEO Kevin Johnson to live up to his word and include everyone in paid parental leave at Starbucks — before the company launches its discriminatory policy on October 1.
Let’s win this!
— Ryan Cervantes
Barista, Los Angeles
But seeing parents with their kids while I’m on shift sometimes makes me incredibly sad. I want to start a family of my own one day, but as a gay man, Starbucks doesn’t believe I should be included in its paid parental leave policy.
In a little more than a month, the company I love will begin discriminating against people like me, who will be adopting children to start our families, by omitting us completely from their paid parental leave policy.
Tell Starbucks to stop discriminating against dads, gay families, adoptive parents and hourly employees through its unequal paid parental policy.
Just two years ago, Starbucks was proud to stand up for the rights of LGBTQ+ people to marry the people they love. But today, they’re planning to implement a parental leave policy that disproportionately leaves LGBTQ+ people out.
When Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson assumed his new position this spring, he said, “We’re in the business of doing things that are based on our principles….and things that we think make our partners proud and that help us with our business.” This is a moment for him to live up to that promise.
When I decide to have a family, I want to be able to be there for my child for those first critical months, but Starbucks’ policy leaves me out.
I’m not the only one. Under the new parental leave policy, Starbucks will give corporate moms 3x more maternity leave than baristas — and while corporate office dads and adoptive parents will have 12 weeks, those of us in the stores get no time at all. And because the vast majority of Starbucks’ employees of color work in stores, thousands of us will be left out.
Join me in asking CEO Kevin Johnson to live up to his word and include everyone in paid parental leave at Starbucks — before the company launches its discriminatory policy on October 1.
Let’s win this!
— Ryan Cervantes
Barista, Los Angeles