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Starbucks barista who declined to wear 'PRIDE' T-shirt sues over firing

Starbucks barista who declined to wear 'PRIDE' T-shirt sues over firing

星巴克咖啡師拒絕穿“驕傲”T恤起訴解僱
路透社 ·  2020/11/20 08:46

By Jonathan Stempel
   Nov 19 (Reuters) - A former Starbucks Corp barista in New Jersey sued the coffee chain on Thursday, claiming she was fired illegally because she did not want to wear a "PRIDE" T-shirt, which she said conflicted with her religious beliefs.
   Betsy Fresse said her August 2019 dismissal from a Glen Ridge, New Jersey store, near her Newark home, for allegedly violating Starbucks' "core values" amounted to illegal religious discrimination under federal civil rights law.
   The Seattle-based chain's website says Starbucks values "creating a culture of warmth and belonging," and is committed to respecting inclusion and diversity.
   According to the complaint, Starbucks violated that commitment by trying to "exclude and silence Mrs. Fresse whose religious beliefs it deemed undesirable."
   Fresse is seeking unspecified damages.
   A Starbucks spokesman said Freese's claims had no merit.
   "Starbucks aims to create a warm and welcoming environment for partners (employees) and customers," the spokesman said. "Other than our green apron, no part of our dress code requires partners to wear any approved items that they have not personally selected."
   Fresse's lawyer did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
   The complaint said Fresse believes "marriage is defined in the Bible as between one man and one woman only, and that any sexual activity which takes place outside of this context is contrary to her understanding of Biblical teaching."
   Fresse said her manager told her in June 2019 she would not have to wear a PRIDE T-shirt, after she saw a box of them in his office.
   She said Starbucks' ethics and compliance helpline later contacted her, and she responded that she opposed wearing the T-shirt because of her religious beliefs.
   The termination notice cited Fresse having allegedly "stated she did not want to wear a PRIDE T-shirt and that partners 'need Jesus.'"
   Fresse said she did not discriminate against customers in her 3-1/2 years working at Starbucks.
   The case is Fresse v Starbucks Corp, U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey, No. 20-16567.

(Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Lincoln
Feast.)
((jon.stempel@thomsonreuters.com; +1 646 223 6317; Reuters
Messaging: jon.stempel.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net)

喬納森·斯坦普爾(Jonathan Stempel)著路透11月19日電-週四,新澤西州一名前星巴克(Starbucks Corp)咖啡師起訴這家咖啡連鎖店,稱她被非法解僱是因為她不想穿一件與她的宗教信仰相沖突的“驕傲”T恤。貝齊·弗雷斯表示,2019年8月,她被紐瓦克家附近新澤西州格倫裏奇的一家門店解僱,原因是她涉嫌違反星巴克的“核心價值觀”,根據聯邦民權法,這相當於非法的宗教歧視。這家總部位於西雅圖的連鎖店的網站稱,星巴克重視“創造一種温暖和歸屬感的文化”,並致力於尊重包容性和多樣性。根據起訴書,星巴克違反了這一承諾,試圖“排斥弗雷斯夫人,並讓她保持沉默,因為她的宗教信仰被星巴克認為是不受歡迎的。”弗雷斯正在尋求未指明的損害賠償。星巴克的一位發言人表示,弗里斯的説法毫無根據。這位發言人説:“星巴克的目標是為合作伙伴(員工)和顧客創造一個温馨友好的環境。”“除了我們的綠色圍裙,我們的着裝規定沒有任何部分要求合作伙伴穿任何他們沒有親自挑選的經批准的物品。”弗雷斯的律師沒有立即回覆記者的置評請求。起訴書中説,弗雷斯認為“聖經中的婚姻定義為只有一男一女之間的婚姻,任何超出這一範圍的性行為都違背了她對聖經教義的理解。”弗雷斯説,她的經理在2019年6月告訴她,在他的辦公室裏看到一盒驕傲的T恤後,她不必穿驕傲的T恤。她説,星巴克的道德和合規熱線後來聯繫了她,她迴應説,她反對穿T恤是因為她的宗教信仰。解約通知援引弗雷斯的話説,她聲稱“她不想穿驕傲的T恤,伴侶們‘需要耶穌’。”弗雷斯説,她在星巴克工作的三年半時間裏沒有歧視顧客。本案是弗雷斯訴星巴克公司,美國新澤西州地區法院,編號20-16567。(Jonathan Stempel在紐約報道;Lincoln編輯盛宴。)(jon.stempel@thomsonreurs.com;+1 646 223 6317;路透社消息:jon.stempel.thomsonreurs.com@reurs.net)

譯文內容由第三人軟體翻譯。


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