RETAILING & MARKETING

Brooks Bros. Cited for Discrimination: Brooks Bros. faces allegations of discrimination after a sting operation found two job applicants--one black, one white--were treated differently on the same day by the same manager, the state of Massachusetts said. On Aug. 7, the two well-groomed young men walked into the exclusive clothier in search of the same job. The manager encouraged the white man to apply for a vacant assistant manager’s position, according to an October complaint, but told the black applicant that no jobs were available. Both men were undercover agents with the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination. Brooks Bros. said it was confident that it would be cleared of wrongdoing. A public hearing on the matter is pending.