El Dorado Furniture, a furniture chain founded in Miami by the Cuban Capó family, has agreed to pay 1.3 million dollars to a group of non-Hispanic job applicants to settle a federal investigation into discrimination in its hiring practices. The company will also be required to review its selection procedures and provide annual training for the staff responsible for hiring workers.
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) announced the settlement on October 5, 2026. The agency identified El Dorado Furniture as a company operating 19 stores in Florida and explained that the beneficiaries of the compensation are job applicants who are white, black, and from other non-Hispanic groups.
What did the federal investigation find?
According to the EEOC, its investigation found reasonable grounds to conclude that, between November 2022 and February 2026, the chain favored Hispanic candidates in its hiring and failed to hire non-Hispanic applicants. The agency described a widespread practice throughout the company and across various job positions, not an incident limited to a single store or vacancy.
The agency stated that these practices violated the Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination in employment based on race or national origin. The protection applies to all applicants, regardless of whether they belong to a majority or minority group.
The conclusion of the EEOC is an administrative determination within its investigation. This is not a judicial conviction: the case was settled through conciliation before the agency filed a lawsuit. The official statement does not specify how many candidates will receive money or the individual amounts.
What changes should El Dorado Furniture make and what was the company's response?
In addition to the payment of 1.3 million dollars to the affected group of applicants, El Dorado Furniture committed to revising its hiring policies and guidelines, upholding internal standards against discrimination, providing annual training to all employees involved in recruitment or selection, and implementing other preventive measures.
The EEOC highlighted the company's collaboration during the investigation. In statements collected by the specialized media HR Dive, El Dorado Furniture expressed its commitment to equal opportunities and fair treatment. Jesús Capó, vice president and director of systems for the company, emphasized that the agency itself had acknowledged their cooperation and the measures taken during the process, and he expressed satisfaction at having reached a settlement without litigation.
For her part, the director of the EEOC office in Miami, Evangeline Hawthorne, asserted that employee selection should be based on the merits of each candidate and not on their race or national origin.
From an exiled family from Cuba to a chain with 19 stores in Florida
The history of El Dorado Furniture is closely tied to the Cuban exile community in Miami. According to the history published by the company itself, the family business began in Pinar del Río, where Simón Capó developed Casa Capó, dedicated to the manufacturing and sale of furniture. The family lost that business after Fidel Castro came to power.
In 1966, his son Manuel Capó left Cuba along with his children Luis and Carlos aboard a small boat named El Dorado. They first arrived in Mexico and then continued to the United States. On June 27, 1967, they opened a furniture store on Calle Ocho in Little Havana, Miami, and named it after the boat. The initial expansion was funded by a $10,000 loan from the U.S. Small Business Administration.
CiberCuba reported in July 2009 on the death of Manuel "Manolo" Capó, at the age of 83, and recalled his role in the establishment of the chain. The investigation now announced by the EEOC concerns the company's hiring practices, not the background of its founder.
What can those who suspect workplace discrimination do?
Federal laws in the United States also protect job seekers. A person who believes they were excluded from hiring due to their race or national origin can consult the EEOC complaint procedures. The deadlines are strict, and in Florida, they can be up to 300 days for certain claims; submitting an initial inquiry does not equate to filing a formal complaint.
Regarding the agreement with El Dorado Furniture, the EEOC announcement does not publicly detail the distribution procedure for the 1.3 million dollars nor does it state that anyone who has applied for a job with the chain is automatically entitled to receive a portion of that amount.
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