The Patriot Ledger
Almost all of the claims in a federal lawsuit against Whole Foods for punishing employees who wore Black Lives Matter face masks have been dismissed, including claims made by a Randolph resident.
The lawsuit named 14 plaintiffs, including Suverino Frith, of Randolph. Frith worked at the Whole Foods on River Street in Cambridge and said in the lawsuit that he was sent home after showing up to work wearing a Black Lives Matter face mask.
Attorney Shannon Liss-Riordan filed the lawsuit in June and said in it that employees were sent home for the day, without pay, if they wore Black Lives Matter face masks and received disciplinary points, which could lead to being fired.
Supporters of employees wanting to wear Black Lives Matter masks during their shifts gathered outside the River St. Whole Foods in Cambridge in June 2020. (Jesse Costa/WBUR)
A federal trial judge last week dismissed the bulk of a discrimination lawsuit filed by former workers at the Whole Foods Market on Rivers Street in Cambridge.
The suit, brought last summer, alleged the Amazon-owned company illegally barred employees from wearing protective masks that read Black Lives Matter (BLM) during their shifts.
The dispute that led to the lawsuit began days after the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd sparked protests for racial justice across the country and around Greater Boston. Whole Foods said the BLM masks violated company dress code, and when some employees continued to wear them, management sent them home without pay.
A federal judge on Friday dismissed nearly every component of a lawsuit filed against mega natural food store chain Whole Foods after employees accused the company of selectively enforcing its dress code by banning "Black Lives Matter" face masks, Reuters reports.
Judge rejects Whole Foods employees claims over Black Lives Matter face masks Reuters 2/5/2021
By Jonathan Stempel
(Reuters) - A federal judge on Friday dismissed nearly all of a lawsuit accusing upscale grocery chain Whole Foods Market of illegally punishing workers who wore Black Lives Matter face masks on the job.
Twenty-seven plaintiffs had accused Whole Foods in a proposed nationwide class action filed in Boston of selectively enforcing its dress code banning visible slogans, messages, logos or advertising unrelated to the company.
The plaintiffs said Whole Foods would send workers home without pay or impose disciplinary actions for wearing the masks and related apparel, even as it let employees wear masks bearing political messages and sports team logos.