Black Hooters Waitress Says Hair highlights got me fired

dmcowen674

No Lifer
Oct 13, 1999
54,894
47
91
www.alienbabeltech.com
10-24-2013

http://www.upi.com/blog/2013/10/23/Fired-waitress-Hair-highlights-got-me-fired/2631382565299/

Black Hooters Waitress Says Hair highlights got me fired



Farryn Johnson said she was unfairly terminated from her job as a waitress at Hooters for refusing to remove her highlights, while her colleagues were allowed to keep theirs.


A woman fired from her job working as a waitress at a Hooters in Baltimore, Md., for having "unnatural" hair color has filed a complaint against her former employer for discrimination.

Farryn Johnson, who is black, said she was fired for having blonde highlights in her otherwise dark hair, which the restaurant said violated the appearance policy for "Hooters girls."


Johnson, 25, was reprimanded about her highlights in June and fired in August when she did not change them. The problem? Her colleagues, including an Asian-American woman with bright red hair and a white woman with black hair and platinum highlights, were not given the same ultimatums.

"Hooters adamantly denies that it has different policies and standards for hair based on race," she continued. "As a global brand, Hooters embraces our culturally diverse employee base and our standards are applied impartially," Sinclair said in a statement.


Johnson, who worked at Hooters for almost a year, said that while she is seeking compensation for lost wages, she her primary goal is to get the chain to change its policy.

 

dmcowen674

No Lifer
Oct 13, 1999
54,894
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www.alienbabeltech.com
There is normally something more to the story.

If not it has to be a local event with this Maryland store because I've seen many Black Hooter girls with highlights all over the Country.

This girl is hot, there had to be some sort of jealousy issue or she had issues and the Manager was just looking for any reason to get rid of her.
 

Zivic

Diamond Member
Nov 25, 2002
3,505
38
91
Johnson, 25, was reprimanded about her highlights in June and fired in August when she did not change them. The problem? Her colleagues, including an Asian-American woman with bright red hair and a white woman with black hair and platinum highlights, were not given the same ultimatums.

The real problem... worry about your damn self. She was reprimanded for it and had the choice to correct and did not.

this isn't about race IMHO, she probably looked bad with the highlights while the other two she mentions did not. aren't we passed the black, white, red, yellow racial BS yet? Your boss said get rid of the highlights in June and you did not not so you got fired; deal with it
 

Texashiker

Lifer
Dec 18, 2010
18,811
197
106
Normally I would agree, but if she can prove the firing was racially based she has a case. I have doubts though.

When is society going to stop playing the race card?

If this was a white woman the news would have never said anything.
 

nehalem256

Lifer
Apr 13, 2012
15,669
8
0
The real problem... worry about your damn self. She was reprimanded for it and had the choice to correct and did not.

this isn't about race IMHO, she probably looked bad with the highlights while the other two she mentions did not. aren't we passed the black, white, red, yellow racial BS yet? Your boss said get rid of the highlights in June and you did not not so you got fired; deal with it

Her colleagues, including an Asian-American woman with bright red hair

I am thinking that she might have case.
 

HumblePie

Lifer
Oct 30, 2000
14,667
440
126
This isn't the military which states natural hair color. In the military a person can dye their hair any color that is considered a natural hair color. Blonde, black, brown, and certain shades of red (hardest color to reproduce in it's natural color form) are all allowable hair dye options, including streaks/highlights, for any person.

The problem is Hooters doesn't have to play by those rules at all. It has a policy to ban unnatural hair color. Which is to some degree race based. Black people do not get blonde hair naturally.

Now do I agree with that policy? Nope. Do I think it's a policy that is discriminatory? That one is a bit harder to say, but I'm going to lean on the side of no as a gut feeling. If the girl had removed her thick blonde streaks (and those were streaks not highlights) then she would still be employed at Hooters. Then again, her complaint that Hooters is allowing Asian women to dye their hair blonde/red shows that Hooters may be applying that policy of theirs in a racially based way. If that is the case, then she has a race discrimination case.
 

Matt1970

Lifer
Mar 19, 2007
12,320
3
0
This girl is shocked that a company that hired her based on her appearance would fire her over her appearance?
 

shortylickens

No Lifer
Jul 15, 2003
82,854
17,365
136
This girl is shocked that a company that hired her based on her appearance would fire her over her appearance?

Last I heard Hooters does not hire waitresses. They hire models who serve. They can be fired over an issue of appearance and to the best of my knowledge all sign a statement saying they understand this.

Of course if its racial discrimination then I guess she has a point. My trouble is how does she intend to prove its racial?
 

Matt1970

Lifer
Mar 19, 2007
12,320
3
0
Last I heard Hooters does not hire waitresses. They hire models who serve. They can be fired over an issue of appearance and to the best of my knowledge all sign a statement saying they understand this.

Of course if its racial discrimination then I guess she has a point. My trouble is how does she intend to prove its racial?

She won't have to. Just make a big stink, get a lawyer involved. Hooters will settle since it's cheaper than what it would cost to defend themselves in court. Price of chicken wings just went up.
 

smackababy

Lifer
Oct 30, 2008
27,024
79
86
She won't have to. Just make a big stink, get a lawyer involved. Hooters will settle since it's cheaper than what it would cost to defend themselves in court. Price of chicken wings just went up.

I am pretty sure all Hooters are indepently owned and operated. She would have to sue the owner / operator of that Hooters. The Hooters organization didn't fire her. They set a standard of rules each franchise location is required to follow by penalty of losing their franchise license.

I also can't watch the video but "bright red hair" could be subjective. Also, she does not know if the other employees were reprimanded for their hair. She just assumes because she was possibly the first fired, it is because she is black.

People really need to get over their entitlement already. Yes, bad stuff is allowed to happen to you sometimes. The universe doesn't feel you're entitled to never losing your job or getting a flat tire.

And, Hooters girls, get a real job.
 

diesbudt

Diamond Member
Jun 1, 2012
3,393
0
0
This isn't the military which states natural hair color. In the military a person can dye their hair any color that is considered a natural hair color. Blonde, black, brown, and certain shades of red (hardest color to reproduce in it's natural color form) are all allowable hair dye options, including streaks/highlights, for any person.

The problem is Hooters doesn't have to play by those rules at all. It has a policy to ban unnatural hair color. Which is to some degree race based. Black people do not get blonde hair naturally.

Now do I agree with that policy? Nope. Do I think it's a policy that is discriminatory? That one is a bit harder to say, but I'm going to lean on the side of no as a gut feeling. If the girl had removed her thick blonde streaks (and those were streaks not highlights) then she would still be employed at Hooters. Then again, her complaint that Hooters is allowing Asian women to dye their hair blonde/red shows that Hooters may be applying that policy of theirs in a racially based way. If that is the case, then she has a race discrimination case.


You forget. Anime exists. This means Asians can dye their hair any color they want, and it could in some crazy pseudo way be a natural color.
 

werepossum

Elite Member
Jul 10, 2006
29,873
463
126
The real problem... worry about your damn self. She was reprimanded for it and had the choice to correct and did not.

this isn't about race IMHO, she probably looked bad with the highlights while the other two she mentions did not. aren't we passed the black, white, red, yellow racial BS yet? Your boss said get rid of the highlights in June and you did not not so you got fired; deal with it
She looks pretty good with them in the article's picture.

Funniest part of the article: "Hooters Girls are required to be camera-ready at all times to promote the glamorous, wholesome look for which Hooters is known."

Yeah, every titty bar is known for its desire to appear wholesome.
 

Tom

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
13,293
1
76
When is society going to stop playing the race card?

If this was a white woman the news would have never said anything.

Maybe when there's no racism ?

One of the great things about a free society is the ability to discuss things in the open.

There's just as much, if not more, interest in discussing this from the point of view she's wrong as there is that she's right.

And, btw, you're wrong about what would happen if a white woman did the same thing. I suppose you think "society" never discussed Allan Bakke ?
 

Goothry

Member
Oct 25, 2011
69
0
61
Even if it was racial discrimination they can't prove it unless the persons being accused directly admit to it, as those accused will most likely point to State hire/fire laws to protect themselves in either case. For example, in PA the State has a hire/fire at will, meaning that if I am a person's employer I can, without prior notice, walk into work and fire any one person for any reason, such as not liking someone's hair cut. However, I would say that most people don't do this in practice because it's so ambiguous, and would most likely lead to a lawsuit based on some form of discrimination.

Additionally, the manager allowing other girls to keep their highlights would be completely irrelevant to her case. As her case against hooters would only consist of her vs Hooters, not Her + Other Girls vs hooters. Clearly there was a double standard going on, but I wouldn't go as far as to say that her argument against her employer is justified based entirely on how Hooter's treats other employees.
 

Matt1970

Lifer
Mar 19, 2007
12,320
3
0
I am pretty sure all Hooters are indepently owned and operated. She would have to sue the owner / operator of that Hooters. The Hooters organization didn't fire her. They set a standard of rules each franchise location is required to follow by penalty of losing their franchise license.

I also can't watch the video but "bright red hair" could be subjective. Also, she does not know if the other employees were reprimanded for their hair. She just assumes because she was possibly the first fired, it is because she is black.

People really need to get over their entitlement already. Yes, bad stuff is allowed to happen to you sometimes. The universe doesn't feel you're entitled to never losing your job or getting a flat tire.

And, Hooters girls, get a real job.

Not all, but a good majority.

Hooters of America, LLC is the Atlanta-based operator and franchiser of over 430 Hooters locations in 28 countries. The privately held corporation owns 160 units
 

Tom

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
13,293
1
76
Even if it was racial discrimination they can't prove it unless the persons being accused directly admit to it, as those accused will most likely point to State hire/fire laws to protect themselves in either case. For example, in PA the State has a hire/fire at will, meaning that if I am a person's employer I can, without prior notice, walk into work and fire any one person for any reason, such as not liking someone's hair cut. However, I would say that most people don't do this in practice because it's so ambiguous, and would most likely lead to a lawsuit based on some form of discrimination.

Additionally, the manager allowing other girls to keep their highlights would be completely irrelevant to her case. As her case against hooters would only consist of her vs Hooters, not Her + Other Girls vs hooters. Clearly there was a double standard going on, but I wouldn't go as far as to say that her argument against her employer is justified based entirely on how Hooter's treats other employees.

It isn't true an employer can fire someone, legally, for "any" reason, anywhere in the USA.

There are reasons that violate Federal law.
 

werepossum

Elite Member
Jul 10, 2006
29,873
463
126
It isn't true an employer can fire someone, legally, for "any" reason, anywhere in the USA.

There are reasons that violate Federal law.
In at-will states you can technically fire anyone for any reason, but you still can't fire them for the wrong reasons. Thus technically you still have to justify the termination, just not to the same extent.

I believe that if several black girls testify that they were not allowed the same latitude as girls of other races, and are credible to the judge, that would constitute strong evidence of wrongful termination even in an at-will state regardless of whether the employer admitted discrimination. Treating employees the same without regard to race is a pretty core American value enforced by our legal system, except where there are protected classes getting extra protection, and it's difficult to imagine a scenario where white and Asian girls are legitimately a protected class but black girls are not.
 

SheHateMe

Diamond Member
Jul 21, 2012
7,251
20
81
1) I'm 90% sure this girl is the same Farryn I went to Middle school with.

2)This is dumb. I opened this expecting to see a black chick with ridiculous neon highlights...but her highlights are fine and it looks good on her. Why did everyone else get to keep their highlights and she did not?
 
Apr 27, 2012
10,086
58
86
Hooters is a private business and private property owners have the right to discriminate. They shouldn't have done it and were wrong but they have the right to do it though.
 

werepossum

Elite Member
Jul 10, 2006
29,873
463
126
160 < 430 / 2

My alligator is broken, he won't eat the majority. :(
Posited point: I am pretty sure all Hooters are independently owned and operated.

Confirmation of point: Not all, but a good majority.
 

Matt1970

Lifer
Mar 19, 2007
12,320
3
0
160 < 430 / 2

My alligator is broken, he won't eat the majority. :(

I think you misunderstood. The "privately held corporation" owns 160 units out of the 430 locations leaving 300 independently owned. 300 is not a good majority of 430?