REMOVE THE TATTOO OR LOOSE YOUR JOB

     Isn't this 2014? Are we still discriminating against people with tattoos? I mean seriously? Apparently, in Michigan they don' like tattoos, which is weird because I know plenty of people from Michigan and they're all tatted up. So, anyway, a Starbucks barista in Michigan could lose her job over a tattoo on her hand that is smaller than a penny. 

     The woman told a news source that she was recently given an ultimatum to get rid of her tattoo within 30 days or resign. According to the barista, "It's just a little heart; you can cover it up with your thumb. It's not offensive to anybody and now I am being told after five years of having this tattoo, being hired in that, I have to get rid of it or resign from my job."

     The 27-year-old woman from Rochester Hills said that the tattoo is located above her left thumb and she had it when Starbucks originally hired her five years ago. She has been using makeup to hide it, but apparently, that didn't satisfy her bosses at a Starbucks in Troy, Michigan. According to Starbucks, company policy bars baristas from having visible tattoos. They say, "This is part of our dress code policy and is discussed with our candidates during the interview process."

     Again, I ask: Is this 2014? I mean discrimination of people with tattoos is a thing of the past. In fact, last I checked; any sort of discrimination is a thing of the past. Then again, Troy, Michigan might be a city that hasn't really caught up yet. I'm pretty sure that I've seen tattoos on baristas at Starbucks in NYC and even here in NJ. So, if this is a dress code policy, it's not a strict one. Besides what's a small tattoo that looks like a birth mark really going to do to someone's coffee? Starbuck's needs to wake up!

DEAF JAM AT STARBUCKS

It's human nature to poke fun and make fun of things that aren't normal. What isn't human nature is being cruel to other human beings. That's what happened at two different Starbucks in New York City when some "cruel" employees mocked some deaf customers and refused to serve them, and now Starbucks is being sued. According to lawyer Eric Baum, who's suing on behalf of a dozen deaf customers, "They were ridiculed, laughed at and told they had to leave Starbucks." Jamie Riley, a spokeswoman for the mega-popular coffee chain, claims they were aware of the allegations and were investigating. She said, "Discrimination of any kind is unacceptable at Starbucks."

According to the lawsuit, one incident took place at 424 Park Ave South in August 2012, when a customer named Alan Roth said a barista laughed when he placed his order, telling him he sounded so funny, and then proceeded to ask him to continually repeat himself as she laughed harder each time until she was hysterically laughing. Who does this? And why is Starbucks hiring people like this? When Roth demanded to speak to a manager, the barista started screaming obscenities at him and had to be restrained by other Starbucks employees. Another employee told Roth to leave and never come back. I didn't realize these employees owned a public place where they can tell people to never come back, especially when he wasn't the one who did anything wrong. Roth says he's never before been so blatantly and maliciously discriminated against. 

The other incident happened at 13-25 Astor Place, which had been chosen as the monthly gathering place for an informal "Deaf Chat Coffee" social group. The lawsuit says the deaf customers were forced to leave and even had the police called on them another time. The police officers wound up apologizing to the group members and scolded the employees for having them called. When the officers left, one of the employees ordered the group to go and not return. Baum said that despite being barred by the employee, some of the group has since returned anyway because they feel that if they leave and never return; Starbucks wins. 

I have to be honest, I don't feel any of this should be blamed on Starbucks as a company, but I do feel that they need to seriously hire better employees. At some Starbucks, especially in Manhattan, they seem so lazy and bothered when you're ordering your drinks. Sometimes it makes you feel like apologizing for ordering. Hey, I have a message for you Starbucks baristas out there, "You work at Starbucks! And probably for minimum wage! You have no right to tell people if they can or can't stay!" For the most part, I find Starbucks' employees extremely friendly, which is why I am quite shocked by these allegations. Then again, these shops were in New York City. By the way, many of the deaf customers complained to Starbucks corporate headquarters in Seattle, and were given an apology and an offer of a gift card without any mention of disciplinary action being taken on the employees. The suit is actually seeking unspecified money damages, a court order barring discrimination against the deaf and better training for Starbucks employees. Does anyone else find it funny that Starbucks tried to make this right with a gift card?

BRAVO TO THE WAITER FROM HOUSTON....

This story broke over the weekend, and I've been dying to give props in my blog to this waiter from Houston, Texas, who did a pretty stand-up thing for a kid with special needs. Besides the whole Manti Te'o thing is starting to become a bit annoying! Anyway, when a group of regulars walked into Laurenzo's Prime Rib in Houston and insulted a special needs customer in the restaurant, waiter Michael Garcia did what he felt was the right thing. He said that his personal feelings kind of just took over. He walked up to the regulars and kindly told them, "I'm sorry, I can't serve you." That is awesome! 

The restaurant might've lost a few customers that day, but the waiter is still being hailed for his bravado. Garcia, who's been working at Laurenzo's for the past two years, was put in charge of two groups of regulars last Wednesday night (1/16). Kim Castillo was in one of those groups that Garcia was waiting on. Her 5-year-old son, Milo, who has Down syndrome, has been eating at Laurenzo's for most of his life. He's quite popular with the staff and since he hadn't been to Laurenzo's for a few weeks, he was chatting it up about his recent birthday. Castillo said that they usually encourage Milo to say hi to people and show off his new vocabulary. Some people at the restaurant apparently didn't share Milo's excitement. Castillo and her family were sitting at their table for all of 10 minutes when a group across from them got up and moved to the back of the restaurant. Their waiter Michael Garcia didn't think much of the move until a piece of the conversation caught his ear. He heard a man in the group say, "Special needs children need to be special somewhere else." My reaction to that would have been a BIG "F-U!" to that customer if I was waiting his table. This way it would have embarrassed him in front of all the other patrons and his friends. Who makes comments like that? Only an asshole!

 Needless to say, Garcia found it very disturbing and couldn't believe that the customer could say something like that in front of his own children. Garcia wondered if he would lose his job or not, but in the end, knew what the man said wasn't right. If that guy had a child with special needs, would be saying the same thing? Some people have a lot of nerve. Garcia went on to say that the comment really upset him because Milo is only a 5-year-old little boy, who is just a precious little angel. Garcia flat out refused to serve the man and his family. A few minutes later, the family walked out, glaring back at the Castillo table as if they did something wrong. That guy really sounded like a piece of work!

When Castillo heard about what Garcia had done, she was impressed and extremely grateful. She told one news station that it 'felt good that somebody would stand up for another human being.' This was a case of discrimination and was just wrong! Milo is just a little kid and shouldn't have been discriminated against. Not to mention, he certainly didn't ask to be born with Down syndrome. I swear people can be assholes! Bravo to you, Michael Garcia, for standing up for what's right in the world.