Latest news with #CreatingaRespectfulandOpenWorkplaceforNaturalHair
Yahoo
18-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Former In-N-Out employee files $3 million lawsuit, accuses company of alleged discrimination over hairstyle
A former In-N-Out employee has filed a $3 million lawsuit against In-N-Out, alleging that he received discriminatory treatment and was eventually fired due to his hairstyle. Elijah Obeng, a Black man, filed his lawsuit in Compton Superior Court and said he suffered from severe emotional distress, reputational harm and loss of employment. He is accusing In-N-Out of wrongful termination, discrimination based on race, failure to prevent harassment, harassment based on race, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and failure to prevent harassment, discrimination, or retaliation. In-N-Out declined to comment, citing ongoing litigation. Obeng said in the suit that he was unfairly targeted by the burger chain's dress code, which requires employees to wear company-issued hats with their hair tucked in. Men are required to be clean-shaven, according to the lawsuit. However, as his hair grew, Obeng said he was instructed by management to change his hairstyle to comply with company policy. Specifically, he was advised to cut or alter his hair so that it could fit entirely under the uniform hat, according to the suit. Obeng stated that he braided his hair to comply with company policy, but management advised him to cut off his sideburns, which Obeng found 'humiliating and discriminatory.' Obeng stated that he began experiencing different treatment, such as being reprimanded for minor infractions, having his work scrutinized more harshly and being denied opportunities for promotion and advancement. Around May 25, 2024, Obeng stated that his supervisor instructed him to go home, shave and return. However, Obeng noted that he didn't have any facial hair other than natural sideburns that were part of his hairstyle. His coworkers also witnessed the interaction. Obeng stated that he felt 'publicly humiliated' during that moment. A few days later, Obeng was fired and claimed he was let go due to his 'natural hair and resistance to discriminatory policies.' In-N-Out claimed he was let go due to prior write-ups, according to the suit. The lawsuit states that In-N-Out violated the CROWN Act, which stands for Creating a Respectful and Open Workplace for Natural Hair. The California law prohibits employers from discriminating against employees based on their hairstyles and hair textures. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Los Angeles Times
16-06-2025
- Business
- Los Angeles Times
In-N-Out former employee files $3-million lawsuit, saying he was fired over his hairstyle
In-N-Out Burger is being sued for at least $3 million by a former employee for alleged racial discrimination involving the employee's hairstyle, according to a Los Angeles County Superior Court filing. According to the suit, 21-year-old Elijah Obeng, who is Black, said he experienced severe emotional distress after he was unfairly targeted by the burger chain's dress code. The dress code requires its employees to wear company-issued hats with their hair tucked in, and male employees must be clean-shaven, the lawsuit says. An In-N-Out corporate representative could not immediately be reached for comment on the lawsuit. Obeng worked at the Compton In-N-Out location for a little less than four years. As his hair grew, he began receiving orders to change his hairstyle so it could remain contained in the company-issued hat. He began wearing braids to comply, but management still took issue with Obeng's sideburns, which he considered important to his cultural identity, according to the lawsuit. Obeng began to be treated differently at work after resisting the orders to shave, the lawsuit said. Management criticized his work more frequently than his fellow employees, and he was denied opportunities for promotions, according to the suit. In May 2024, Obeng's supervisor sent him home to shave his sideburns and then return, according to the filing. This was done in front of his co-workers, and he felt 'publicly humiliated,' the suit said. Obeng did not follow these orders and instead texted his supervisor that he would return for his next shift. A couple days later, he was fired, the lawsuit said. In-N-Out said the termination was due to prior write-ups, but Obeng believed it to be a discriminatory action in retaliation to his resistance against the dress code policies, the filing said. The suit said that In-N-Out has allegedly violated the CROWN Act, which stands for Creating a Respectful and Open Workplace for Natural Hair. This California law prohibits employers from discriminating on the basis of an employee's hairstyle or hair texture. 'This policy disproportionately burdened Black employees whose natural hair may not conform to such grooming standards,' the lawsuit said. In-N-Out's alleged discrimination has caused Obeng 'anxiety, humiliation, and loss of dignity,' the suit said.
