Last month we had a Tim Hortons franchisee fire an employee because she gave away a 16-cent piece of fried dough to calm a crying infant. The company later apologized – but only after a firestorm of criticism (which suggests they were really only sorry that they got caught.).
This week it’s a waitress in a restaurant in Owen Sound, Ont., who was laid off after she shaved her head as
part of a stunt that raised $2,700 for the charity Cops for Cancer. Stacey Fearnall, a 36-year-old mother of two, was apparently told to go home after she refused to wear a wig.The owner defended his decision by saying his restaurant has "standards." He apparently requires employees keep their hair at a reasonable length. He says Fearnall can return to work once she grows her hair back.
He also claims some customers have said they would have been "appalled'' to be served by Fearnall.
Fearnall’s father died of cancer five years ago.
An official at the Bluewater Cancer Society said she's never heard of an incident like this. According to the Canadian Cancer Society, "It apparently has not happened anywhere across Canada.”
The local paper, the Sun-Times, notes that Cops for Cancer is a huge deal in Owen Sound. It says the owner has blundered badly:
"It is difficult to find words to describe the magnitude of the mistake that was made in sending her home, essentially until her hair grows back. Her presence, sans hair, would be an asset, not a detriment to this or any other restaurant.
If there's a lesson here, it's that decisions like these should not be made in isolation. The interests and the concerns of the community always must be part of the process for businesses, as much as for the public sector."
No comments:
Post a Comment