Dozens of former employees who claim they were fired from Bowlero based on their age or out of retaliation plan to sue their past employer after the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission closed its case against the bowling company, according to their lawyer.
On Monday, Bowlero disclosed in its fiscal third-quarter earnings release and quarterly securities filing that the EEOC has closed its case and will not move forward with a lawsuit. During the company's earnings call with Wall Street analysts later on Monday, executives said that the EEOC investigation was now behind them and would no longer be a distraction.
The EEOC had previously found reasonable cause in 58 of the complaints brought against Bowlero, and the rest were still under investigation when the agency closed its case, according to Bowlero's securities filings and Dowe. The employees who still had cases pending with the EEOC also have the right to sue and are among the potential plaintiffs that Dowe is representing, he said.
Dowe said that he requested the agency close its case last month so his clients could move forward with their own lawsuit. He added that he's "delighted" the matter is now ready for private action.