Whole Foods employees sue over Black Lives Matter masks

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Whole Foods staff are required to put on masks at work as a result of coronavirus.


Jessica Dolcourt/CNET

Whole Foods employees are accusing the grocery chain of discriminating towards staff for carrying Black Lives Matter face masks at work. In a proposed class motion go well with filed Monday, the employees allege that Amazon-owned Whole Foods despatched staff dwelling with out pay or took different disciplinary actions towards them for carrying face masks with BLM messages.

The allegations seem to conflict with public assist for BLM from Amazon and CEO Jeff Bezos. Last month, Bezos posted his responses to racist buyer emails, defending a Black Lives Matter banner that appeared on Amazon’s website. The e-commerce large additionally pledged $10 million to organizations that assist Black communities and try for social justice.

Whole Foods staff are required to put on face masks at work as a result of coronavirus pandemic. Following the killing of George Floyd by police and nationwide protests, some Whole Foods staff started carrying masks that confirmed solidarity with the Black Lives Matter motion. 

While the grocery store has a gown code that prohibits staff from carrying gadgets with seen slogans, messages or logos that are not company-related, the lawsuit says the coverage wasn’t usually enforced. Whole Foods staff have worn gadgets expressing assist for different causes, akin to Pride flags, with out being disciplined, in accordance with the lawsuit. 

“The actions of Whole Foods against its employees are not only illegal but shameful,” stated Shannon Liss-Riordan, lead legal professional for the plaintiffs, in a launch Monday. “Whole Foods’ decision to selectively and arbitrarily enforce it’s ‘dress code’ to specifically suppress the message that Black Lives Matter paints a picture about what the company values, and that picture is not pretty.”

One of the plaintiffs within the case, Savannah Kinzer, stated she was fired for carrying a Black Lives Matter masks and organizing different staff to take action as nicely.

A Whole Foods spokesperson stated the corporate could not touch upon pending litigation, however added that “no team members have been terminated for wearing Black Lives Matter face masks or apparel.” Whole Foods stated Kinzer was fired for lateness and lacking shifts.

Whole Food coverage requires staff to point out up for schedules shifts in gown code-complaint apparel, a spokesperson for the corporate confirmed. “As an employer we must uphold our policies in an equitable and consistent manner,” the spokesperson stated.

Whole Foods additionally says it has a zero-tolerance coverage for retaliation towards staff, in addition to a number of choices for group members to report considerations, together with a confidential tip line.  

The lawsuit was filed in US District Court in Massachusetts on behalf of 14 staff at Whole Foods shops in Cambridge, Massachusetts; Bedford, New Hampshire; Berkeley, California; and Seattle, Washington.

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