RAWR!!!

[wendyzski]

Time to get out the writing-instruments of pointiness again...

Bath & Body Works Manager Doesn’t Want to Work With “Satanists”
An 8 year employee fired for being Wiccan, and for taking pre-approved vacation time over Samhain just as she had for the past 6 years. Includes links to the actual complaint filed.

E-mail I just sent off to through the corporate website:
"I was utterly appalled to learn that one of your employees, Gina Uberti, was actually terminated because of her religious expression and beliefs. A company that prides itself on being "committed to being a responsible member of the global community" should be mortified that they have a manager who referred to Ms. Uberti's Wiccan faith as "ridiculous" and who made personnel decisions based on her own narrow-minded preconceptions. I fully support a boycott of Bath and Body Works as well as the entire Limited family of brands until this issue is properly resolved."

BBW is part of Limited Brands, which includes Victoria's Secret, White Barn Candle Company, CO Bigelow andHenri Bendel. On their main website they have a "Social responsibility" page which includes the statement "Inclusion makes us stronger.
We cherish our diversity, because embracing others’ thoughts, experiences, hopes and dreams makes our own more complete and connects us to our customers." Gag~

Comments

[vakkotaur.livejournal.com]

I am reminded of a Dilbert cartoon where an interviewee is being told that employees are emplowered and she responds, "Since you have to tell me that, it's obvious it's not really the case."

Also, what a maroon and what a moron of a mis-manager.

[jtaylor2.livejournal.com]

I haven't liked Bath and Body Works for years and merely because I never found anything that suited my tastes. Now, I definitely have a reason to dislike them.

Also not a fan of Victoria's Secret, but that's because a salesperson was too pushy with me one day years ago, trying to get me to buy their bras. Quite honestly, I said that they did not carry my size. "Oh but we go up to a 40 D!" Sorry, a couple inches off in the band and add an extra D to that cup, then we'll talk.

[katexxxxxx.livejournal.com]

Couldn't happen here. Discrimination on religious grounds is illegal. Time to start an uproar, methinks.

[petronivs.livejournal.com]

Just because something's illegal doesn't mean it can't happen. People break the law all the time.

[katexxxxxx.livejournal.com]

The process for actually dismissing someone in the UK is so long and involved (and involves unions too!), that it would probably never get that far. The boss would be disciplined for religious discrimination long before the employee went. Before you get to dismissal, there is a fairly lengthy disciplinary procedure and suspension with investigation and all sorts. About the only time you can dismiss someone that quickly is if you catch someone doing something illegal and have the evidence to prove it. Even then, you might have a hard time until they were convicted and serving time for the offence...

It gets so cumbersome at times that it's really hard to get rid of someone who is actually in breech of their contract or incompetent at their job.

[petronivs.livejournal.com]

"It gets so cumbersome at times that it's really hard to get rid of someone who is actually in breech of their contract or incompetent at their job."

Makes me wonder if, in the end, all the runaround is worth it.

[wendyzski.livejournal.com]

Oh, it's illegal here as well. Doesn't mean it doesn't happen, and that's why she's got grounds for a nice lawsuit.

[markellynch.livejournal.com]

Yet another reason to shop my company, The Body Shop, instead. Not only do we have fair trade products and ingredients and a no animal testing policy, we employ all kinds of people and respect their beliefs and personal choices. I may be in the minority in the main offices but I'm not the only nice little pagan girl on staff.
Hugs-
Kell

[wendyzski.livejournal.com]

Oh, I don't shop there very often, but every little bit helps.

Personally I like LUSH myself most of the time

But "voting with your wallet" only works if a company knows why they are losing your business.

[petronivs.livejournal.com]

It sounds very "he said, she said". Unless the phone conversation was recorded or there is other evidence, the religious motive be difficult to prove, though it does sound like her paperwork was in order with respect to the vacation, and that's a good reason to be up in arms itself.

I didn't notice any statement from B&BW specifying what their official grounds for her dismissal was. Did I miss something in that respect?

[wendyzski.livejournal.com]

They have not responded, and most companies will not publicly comment on pending litigation.

From reading the actual complaint, I understand that there were some cocked-up "reports" in her file leading to "reasons" for her termination.

Except for an 8 year employee with a good record being terminated within a month of this dispute, if she has ANY kind of backup - even handwritten notes of phone conversations, she's got a pretty good case for presumption here.

[woody-whistler.livejournal.com]

I suppose it would be useless to point out that Wiccans are not Satanists. Not that this should matter to an employer, but still...

[wendyzski.livejournal.com]

I've been fighting that fight for more than 20 years now....

Regardless of which (or witch), it's still religious discrimination, and that's cause for a big fat embarrassing lawsuit.

[gothicshidre.livejournal.com]

That just makes me angry.