Within the realm of high fashion, it is fairly rare to hear of anyone being fired or discriminated against due to their sexual orientation. On both the national and state levels, employment laws prevent discrimination based upon a person’s sexual orientation. Specifically, California has enacted laws that prohibit job discrimination based upon this factor. The laws were passed in order to safeguard workers from wrongful termination that is based solely upon whether they are heterosexual, homosexual or bisexual.
A recent article reports that a gay man has filed a lawsuit against fashion giant Jimmy Choo, alleging that he was fired after reporting harassment and discriminatory behavior he endured from his supervisor. The complaint states that the man was hired in a sales role at Jimmy Choo, and began working in the Beverly Hills store on Rodeo Drive. He states that he often listened to derogatory remarks from his supervisor regarding his homosexuality and his Latino background.
The employee claims that he reported the issues to senior management many times, to no avail. In October 2014, there was an incident at work in which a sale he made was credited to his supervisor instead of to him. At that point, he confronted his boss, and she told him in derogatory terms that upper management would always take her side over his version. However, the sale was reversed and credited to him after the confrontation. According to court documents, he was fired two days later.
When experiencing workplace harassment or after wrongful termination, employees can consult with a lawyer to find out more about their rights, as well as their best legal options. By consulting with an attorney, workers may be able obtain the justice they deserve. A California lawyer can best advise an employee on the legal paths specific to the state.
Source: dailynews.com, “Ex-worker says he was harassed at Jimmy Choo because he’s Latino and gay“, April 28, 2016