Starbucks shops across the U.S. closed early on Tuesday to hold training for employees on recognizing hidden prejudices. It was part of the coffee chain’s effort to deal with the outcry over the arrest of two black men last month for sitting in a Philadelphia Starbucks without buying anything. After the incident, the company’s leaders apologized, met with the men and scheduled an afternoon of training for 175,000 employees at more than 8,000 U.S. stores. Developed with help from the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund and other groups, the training was not mandatory, but Starbucks said it expected almost all of its employees to participate. It said they will be paid for the full four hours.
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