Starbucks had said that Locke was fired for failing to fill out a Covid-19 questionnaire and falsely reporting that a supervisor made physical contact with him, according to the city's lawsuit. The missteps were reportedly confirmed by surveillance footage, but the suit states that Locke's district and store manager did not let him see that footage. Locke's shifts were canceled, and he filed a complaint to the city days later.
"We do not comment on pending litigation," a Starbucks representative wrote to CNBC."However, we do intend to defend against the alleged violations of the New York City Just Cause Law." Under the city's Fair Workweek law, it is illegal to fire workers who have completed a 30 day probation or reduce their hours by more than 15% without just cause or an economic justification.