San Ramon-based 24 Hour Fitness USA Inc. is being sued by a civil rights group that claims the company discriminates against minorities and women.
Oakland law firm Lewis, Feinberg, Lee, Renaker & Jackson filed the lawsuit on Tuesday in Alameda County on behalf of the plaintiffs and the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund.
The lawsuit claims that the fitness chain bypassed minority and female employees for promotion and, in general, paid them less than other employees.
Plaintiffs are demanding the nation's biggest gym chain stop its alleged discrimination and pay back workers who claim to have been treated unequally.
The company issued a statement the same day in response, denying the allegations.
"24 Hour Fitness makes its hiring and promotional decisions without regard to race, national origin, gender or any other protected basis," it wrote.
The company said it expects to win the case once all the facts are heard.
