Men who applied for a server, bartender, or host job at Kickback Jack's and were turned away may be owed a cash payment.
What Is This Settlement About?
Battleground Restaurants, Inc. and Battleground Restaurant Group, Inc. — the companies that operate the Kickback Jack's sports-bar chain — agreed to pay $1,111,300 to resolve a class action brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The complaint, filed September 25, 2024, alleges that from at least January 1, 2019 through February 3, 2026, Kickback Jack's maintained a policy or practice of intentionally failing to hire male applicants for non-managerial front-of-house positions — including server, bartender, and host roles at locations in North Carolina, Virginia, and Tennessee — because of their sex, in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.The case was resolved through a consent decree, the standard way an EEOC lawsuit is settled. The agreement requires the company to pay the settlement fund and to adopt anti-discrimination hiring measures, but it allows the company to do so without admitting liability or wrongdoing. Men who applied for these front-of-house jobs and were not hired may now file a claim for a share of the fund.
Who Qualifies?
You may be eligible if you are a man who applied (or attempted to apply) for a non-managerial front-of-house position — such as server, bartender, or host — at a Kickback Jack's restaurant in North Carolina, Virginia, or Tennessee between January 1, 2019 and February 3, 2026 and were not hired, allegedly because of your sex. The EEOC's case focused on these customer-facing roles. The EEOC determines each claimant's eligibility and award based on the information submitted on the claim form.If you are unsure whether you applied within the covered period or at a covered location, the official settlement website lets you review the eligibility criteria and submit a claim describing your application. Managerial positions and back-of-house roles (such as kitchen staff) were not the focus of the EEOC's claims.
How Much Can You Get?
Individual payment amounts will vary. The settlement establishes a $1,111,300 fund, and eligible claimants share in the net amount that remains after administration costs. Because the money is divided among everyone who files a valid claim, the per-person payment depends on how many people come forward and how the claims process allocates the fund. There is no fixed dollar figure guaranteed to any one claimant.How to File a Claim
You can file in one of two ways before the August 3, 2026 deadline:- File online through the official settlement website.
- Download the PDF claim form from that website, print it, complete it, and mail it to the settlement administrator, CPT Group, Inc., before the deadline.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is eligible for the Kickback Jack's settlement?
Men who applied for a non-managerial front-of-house position (such as server, bartender, or host) at a Kickback Jack's restaurant since at least December 2019 and were not hired allegedly because of their sex may be eligible to file a claim for a cash payment.
How much money can I get from the Kickback Jack's settlement?
Individual payments will vary. The EEOC settlement created a $1,111,300 fund, and eligible claimants share in the net fund. The exact amount per person depends on how many valid claims are submitted and how the claims process allocates the money.
Do I need proof to file a Kickback Jack's claim?
You do not need to upload receipts or out-of-pocket documentation. The claim form asks you to identify yourself and describe your application — the Kickback Jack's location you applied to, the position, and roughly when you applied and were not hired. No administrator-issued Notice ID or PIN is required to start a claim.
What is the deadline to file a Kickback Jack's claim?
The deadline to submit a claim is August 3, 2026. You can file online at the official settlement website or download, complete, and mail the paper claim form to the settlement administrator before the deadline.
Did Kickback Jack's admit to discrimination?
No. The case was resolved by a consent decree to settle the EEOC's claims. As is typical in such resolutions, the settlement allows the company to pay and adopt anti-discrimination measures without admitting liability or wrongdoing.
Sources
- EEOC — Kickback Jack's to Pay $1.1 Million for Refusing to Hire Men
- Official Settlement Website — EEOC v. Kickback Jack's
