Suing Burger King for religious discrimination

[StarrieEyedKat]

"A Texas teenager is suing Burger King for religious discrimination, saying that the fast food giant fired her, a conservative Christian, for wearing a long skirt, rather than uniform pants, to work."

http://shine.yahoo.com/work-money/christian-woman-fired-burger-king-refusing-wear-pants-175600700.html

[emmiedahl]

It is not safe to wear a skirt in a crowded kitchen with boiling oil!

I have a friend who burnt her arms really badly while working for BK when we were in high school.

Edited because nouns are not my strong point.

[Austin]

As most people know, I have college age offspring, and they're all working in the food/restaurant industry. The uniforms/dress codes are there for a reason, mostly having to do with safety.

[lilwriter85]

I see this girl losing the lawsuit. I waited tables back in college for a family owned restaurant and the owners basically said they didn't want us wearing skirts or open toe shoes for safety reasons and everyone accepted that. When I was in high school, the school guidance counselor used to a do a presentation about getting summer jobs and he advised us to expect dress codes and safety codes.

[Sunnichick31]

I don't know about BK, but when I worked at McDonalds in high school (longest job I've ever held, about 2.5 years.) there was a skirt option depending on where you were working. If you were in the grill area, you couldn't wear one for safety reasons, but if you were a cashier it would have been OK. If I remember correctly, it was a little below the knee, but not much, so maybe it would have been too short for that particular girl.

[emmiedahl]

When I worked in a lab, we were required to wear long pants, closed toe shoes and a lab coat. Hair back, short nails, no exceptions. Sometimes working conditions demand certain attire.

[StarrieEyedKat]

I think right now the big issue is that she's saying when she was hired, the person doing the interview told her she would be allowed to wear a skirt. Then when she arrived for her first day orientation, a different manager told her she couldn't wear it. I don't know if that will make a huge difference in the lawsuit or not.

But yeah, if I were running a fast food operation (or really, any industrial kitchen scenario) I wouldn't allow skirts, and any loose clothing or long hair would need to be altered/pulled back for safety reasons.

[lilwriter85]

In the restaurant industry, there are always possibilities of slipping on grease or any other fluids in the kitchen. BK may have the pants only rule as a way of preventing further injuries if falls happen.

[sparkles]

I can't imagine that the dress code wasn't clearly spelled out to her. Generally, it's all in the employee manual that you generally need to read and SIGN. So here's the thing sweetheart, if you don't want to wear the cropped shirt and booty shorts, DON'T TAKE THE JOB AT HOOTERS. And if you don't want to have to wear pants around hot grills and deep fryers, stay the fuck out of Burger King.

Hell, I'm taking an artisan breadmaking course at a culinary school and even as recreational students, there's a strict dress code we have to adhere to. It's right there on the enrollment form that we have to sign. Bakers whites, no jewelry, short fingernails, hard-toed shoes like Docs and so forth. Them's the rule.

[deelaem]

I'm struggling a bit with this one. I get the safety angle, even though I think a skirt that isn't flowing shouldn't be much more of a hazard.

The struggle here is that when an employer mandates clothing, it really needs to be clear that it's a safety issue. The other side of the coin is employers like those dickblisters who were making their barristas wear their underwear to serve coffee. Talk about a safety hazard! But no lawsuits about that, because it's every American's god-given right to ogle women when they're getting their morning latte. :roll:

Bottom line - employers should only have safety and corporate logo reasons for required work attire. And if her skirt wasn't a loose one, I don't see what's so bad about her wearing it.

[doggie]

I was going to post this this morning and forgot.She is quoting the dress line in the bible. but the bible does not say men wear pants and woman dresses. people wore robes so the robe would be cut for a woman. so how would that be different then having pants cut for a woman? No were in the bible does it say a woman has to wear a dress. Does she wear mixed threads??

[ADoyle90815]

In the restaurant industry, there are always possibilities of slipping on grease or any other fluids in the kitchen. BK may have the pants only rule as a way of preventing further injuries if falls happen.

That's true, it's a safety issue, plus most fast food restaurants require closed toed slip resistant shoes because of all the grease that could make the kitchen floor slippery. If someone only wants to wear skirts, then fast food isn't the place for them to apply. The pants being for men isn't really Biblical, as fundies would be shocked if Jesus showed up, as they would say he was wearing a dress.

[StarrieEyedKat]

I'm struggling a bit with this one. I get the safety angle, even though I think a skirt that isn't flowing shouldn't be much more of a hazard.

The struggle here is that when an employer mandates clothing, it really needs to be clear that it's a safety issue. The other side of the coin is employers like those dickblisters who were making their barristas wear their underwear to serve coffee. Talk about a safety hazard! But no lawsuits about that, because it's every American's god-given right to ogle women when they're getting their morning latte. :roll:

Bottom line - employers should only have safety and corporate logo reasons for required work attire. And if her skirt wasn't a loose one, I don't see what's so bad about her wearing it.

My experience with long skirts has been the following: loose and flowy - which would be a hazard; fairly tight and restrictive (even the long denim ones that aren't "tight" are not cut to allow long strides) - could be a hazard since it restricts movements; and long ones that aren't loose and flowy but have a slit of some sort to allow more movement - could be a hazard since the leg is exposed where the slit it.

[holierthanyou]

I'm struggling a bit with this one. I get the safety angle, even though I think a skirt that isn't flowing shouldn't be much more of a hazard.

The struggle here is that when an employer mandates clothing, it really needs to be clear that it's a safety issue. The other side of the coin is employers like those dickblisters who were making their barristas wear their underwear to serve coffee. Talk about a safety hazard! But no lawsuits about that, because it's every American's god-given right to ogle women when they're getting their morning latte. :roll:

Bottom line - employers should only have safety and corporate logo reasons for required work attire. And if her skirt wasn't a loose one, I don't see what's so bad about her wearing it.

I know teenage fundy girls who are currently working at subway, McDonald's, burger king, and Tim horton's. All of them wear full length skirts for religious reasons, and none of their bosses were jerks about it. I understand safety being important, but I don't really understand the huge safety issue with skirts in fast food. If you fall on a greasy floor I don't think the cotton pant legs are really going to save anyone from throwing out their back or bruising.

[salsa]

I know teenage fundy girls who are currently working at subway, McDonald's, burger king, and Tim horton's. All of them wear full length skirts for religious reasons, and none of their bosses were jerks about it. I understand safety being important, but I don't really understand the huge safety issue with skirts in fast food. If you fall on a greasy floor I don't think the cotton pant legs are really going to save anyone from throwing out their back or bruising.

It's not about your falling; it's about what might splash on you. I worked as a server in a family restaurant and the server uniforms were black skirts (later, after they required that if a female server wore a skirt, her legs must be shaved, they allowed black slacks). Sometimes, when the cooks had gone to the back and we needed something from "the line," we'd just dash in and get what we needed and always - ALWAYS - some manager would holler, "No skirts on the line!"

That said - if they told her she could wear a skirt and if there is a safe place to wear it (such as a cashier), then she has a case. and one on which I side with her.

[holierthanyou]

It's not about your falling; it's about what might splash on you. I worked as a server in a family restaurant and the server uniforms were black skirts (later, after they required that if a female server wore a skirt, her legs must be shaved, they allowed black slacks). Sometimes, when the cooks had gone to the back and we needed something from "the line," we'd just dash in and get what we needed and always - ALWAYS - some manager would holler, "No skirts on the line!"

That said - if they told her she could wear a skirt and if there is a safe place to wear it (such as a cashier), then she has a case. and one on which I side with her.

But if it's a safety issue in an Alberta burger king kitchen, how is it not a safety problem in e Ontario burger king kitchen?

[Samantha]

A year and a half ago, when I was working at McDonalds, there was an older fundie woman. She wore her hair braided up, on top of her head. She also wore a long skirt. She only worked back drive, presenting or front counter. It wasn't a saftey concern since she was away from grill and the fry station.

I could see it getting tricky if the person was on fries, god knows it gets so greasy on the floor in front of the fry station.

[Witsec7]

I'm guessing that these mega corporations make employees sign off on the handbook, which would include dress codes. If that was the case I don't think she would win on speshul snowflake status.

My DD passed up hiring a highly qualified baker when she was at the bistro here in town.The speshul snowflake would not wear chefs trousers, which aren't the least bit revealing. The new job was even more specific, no rings worn in the kitchen by anyone prepping food, body and facial piercings were cool if they were firmly attached, and no tennis shoes or crocs, chefs shoes, and leather clogs were acceptable, short nails and no polish.

[salsa]

I'm guessing that these mega corporations make employees sign off on the handbook, which would include dress codes. If that was the case I don't think she would win on speshul snowflake status.

My DD passed up hiring a highly qualified baker when she was at the bistro here in town.The speshul snowflake would not wear chefs trousers, which aren't the least bit revealing. The new job was even more specific, no rings worn in the kitchen by anyone prepping food, body and facial piercings were cool if they were firmly attached, and no tennis shoes or crocs, chefs shoes, and leather clogs were acceptable, short nails and no polish.

so did this baker sue your daughter? It seems that if this snowflake is so speshul, she'd realize that the number of available jobs would be limited.

My siding with THIS woman is that a manager told her it would be OK to wear a skirt and then another manager said, "no," and wouldn't budge.

[Gil]

so did this baker sue your daughter? It seems that if this snowflake is so speshul, she'd realize that the number of available jobs would be limited.

My siding with THIS woman is that a manager told her it would be OK to wear a skirt and then another manager said, "no," and wouldn't budge.

This. Like I was saying on the other thread, you are responsible for what your employees do. I don't know how this one will turn out, though, because it is an actual safety concern.

[Witsec7]

so did this baker sue your daughter? It seems that if this snowflake is so speshul, she'd realize that the number of available jobs would be limited.

My siding with THIS woman is that a manager told her it would be OK to wear a skirt and then another manager said, "no," and wouldn't budge.

She can win if it's merely a management kerfuffle and the rules aren't justified under safety. Nah the kid never got sued. But she sure is happy she has uniform service at the new job :D

[tabitha2]

http://www.newsoxy.com/odd/teen-sues-bu ... 85746.html

[Guest Anonymous]

As seen here:

http://freejinger.org/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=12370&sid=1b2a4415156600742fb03cf90013ec16

[longskirts]

I hope she wins. Skirts are not that dangerous as long as they aren't dragging on the floor. You can slip, get scalded, etc. in pants too.