This Woman Is Suing Whole Foods For Harassment
Last week, Jennifer Johnston of Boulder, Colorado, filed a lawsuit against her former employer, Whole Foods, alleging that her supervisor harassed and discriminated against her for being gay.
The lawsuit and a petition posted by Johnston's lawyer outline the abuse of the supervisor, Tawny Duckworth, who Johnston says ridiculed her shoes and clothes, made offensive comments to her based on stereotypes of "butch" women, and asked invasive questions about her sex life with her wife, whom Johnston married in 2014. “She told me that I looked ‘unfuckable’ and that only gay people wear Crocs, which I took offense to,” Johnston told CBS4. According to the lawsuit, Duckworth then proceeded to refer to Jennifer’s shoes as “Us” or “UFs,” short for “unfuckable.”
Johnston says that when she complained to store management, the general manager retaliated by giving Johnston a written warning for playing inappropriate music at work (DJ Snake and Lil Jon's "Turn Down for What," to be specific). (Johnston's lawsuit counters by saying that while she played the song, it does not include “any inappropriate language.”) "It made me feel awful,” Johnston said of the manager's reaction to her harassment complaint. “It was really disappointing when I wasn’t supported back when I always supported [Whole Foods].” Johnston is seeking damages upward of $75,000 for emotional distress, as well as back and future pay and punitive damages.
In response to a request for comment, Whole Foods Global Vice President of Communications Brooke Buchanan released a statement to CBS4, saying, “Discrimination in any form is unacceptable to Whole Foods Market... We were notified of this filing and are looking into the situation.” No matter what you think of Crocs, harassment in the workplace is unacceptable anywhere - and all Johnston seems to have done "wrong" is speak up about it.
Follow Hayley on Twitter.
You Might Also Like
