• 22
  • May
    2011

When employees have handicaps that prevent them from fully performing their jobs, they have the right to request reasonable accommodations from their employers. When employers in California fail to accommodate those requests, they can face penalties for discrimination.

Currently, that is the exact situation Starbucks is facing.

According to one lawyer, "Starbucks has become a virtual icon of modern American culture, appealing to an incredibly diverse customer base." The company is regularly applauded for hiring individuals who have disabilities and people from all walks of life.

However, after hiring a dwarf, the company promptly fired her for being too short.

The employee asked for a stool or stepladder so that she could adequately perform the duties of her job. However, rather than investing ten dollars in a stepladder, they denied her request and fired her the same day.

Their reasoning? Starbucks claimed that because she was too short to easily reach everything, that she "could be a danger to customers and workers."

The lawsuit states that Starbucks violated federal laws by failing to provide reasonable accommodations to an employee. Under the federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), employers are prohibited from discriminating against an employee because of his or her disabilities. Discrimination because of a perceived disability is also illegal.

If the woman was able to fully perform her job with a stool, and if she was qualified to work there, Starbucks had no legitimate basis for firing her. Hopefully the woman's continued work with a lawyer can help bring justice to the situation.

Source: Reuters, "U.S. sues Starbucks for firing dwarf from barista job," Corrie MacLaggan, 17 May 2011