(Reuters) - The U.S. government is suing Starbucks Coffee Company for firing a barista in El Paso because she is a dwarf.
When the employee asked for a stool or small stepladder to perform her job, Starbucks denied the request and fired her that same day, claiming that she could be a danger to customers and workers, according to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
The commission, which filed the lawsuit on Monday, said that Starbucks violated federal law by denying a reasonable accommodation to the employee, who was hired in July 2009 and was fired after three days of training.
"Starbucks has become a virtual icon of modern American culture, appealing to an incredibly diverse customer base," Robert Canino, a commission lawyer in Dallas, said in a statement. "We'd hope that when considering hiring a person with a disability, Starbucks would choose to enhance its brand with the mark of equal opportunity and access."
Starbucks did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Tuesday.
taken from http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/05/17/us-dwarf-starbucks-idUSTRE74G60020110517
No comments:
Post a Comment