Most businesses do all they can to ensure that their employees have a safe and healthy work environment. There is no denying that this doesn’t always happen, but there are times when there may be more to the story than just an employee’s side of the matter. Employment discrimination is a serious charge here in Georgia and deserves to be handled with sincerity, though not every allegation is a clear-cut example of a violation of an employee’s civil rights. One recent allegation against popular retailer Urban Outfitters claims that both employees and customers experienced racism at the hands of upper management and some are calling for major change to deal with the perceived problem.
Employees of Urban Outfitters claim that the company showed a bias against African-American employees and customers. Some employees said this was demonstrated in racist remarks by management, poor treatment and even racial profiling of certain customers as potential shoplifters. More than 700 employees recently sent a letter to the corporate office of Urban Outfitters demanding that they change company culture to improve circumstances for employees of color.
The CEO of the company says that he is committed to improving the workplaces of all his employees. He says that the company will increase training regarding racial discrimination and change hiring practices. One specific Anthropologie store owned by Urban Outfitters was named as particularly problematic, but company representatives says they let go several problem employees after an official complaint was filed.
Employment law exists to protect both employees and business owners from any kind of unfair practices. No worker should ever have to fear employment discrimination but companies deserve to protect themselves from unjust allegations. Here in Georgia, a company can work with an attorney who is well-versed in employment law to draft company policy to prevent discrimination from happening and deal with any claims that may arise.