A teen was sent home from her job at Chick-fil-A after a supervisor told her the blond in her braids was ‘unnatural’.
Sixteen-year-old Autumn Williams had been working at the Chick-fil-A restaurant along Highway 49 in Harrisburg, North Carolina for the last three months.
But says that last month she was approached by her manager for reportedly violating the company’s uniform policy.
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Speaking to Queens City News, Williams said one of the supervisor’s told her ‘they noticed blond in your hair, and he asked that you leave and come back when it's taken out since it's an unnatural color to you’, leaving the teen gobsmacked.
Williams says the incident left her feeling embarrassed and singled out and claimed that other members of staff also sported ‘unnatural hair colors’.
She explained: “The guy, when I had orientation, he never said anything about my hair color or it being an issue.”
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Williams decided to leave of her own accord and says she has no intentions of changing herself to ‘fit’ in.
“I was glad that I didn't have to change myself to fit into someone else's ideal image of what it's like to be a Chick-fil-A worker," she said.
"I could still have my braids, which I felt there was nothing wrong with, so I was just glad that I was able to just stay true to myself and move on and find somewhere else to work; that's fine with how I look.”
Her mother Nina Burch backed her daughter and suggested those involved should attend ‘sensitivity training’.
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“There was nothing eccentric about the color that was in her hair,” she told WBTV.
“So I think maybe there needs to be some sensitivity training about what people can and cannot look like. But that just sounds so crazy to say because who's to say what anybody can look like based on their race?”
She added: “I just hope that companies realize that no one fits in a box. People come in different colors, shapes, sizes and what you perceive to be natural based off someone’s ethnicity or race isn’t necessarily true."
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In a statement issued to Queen City News, Chick-fil-A said the policy had been ‘misinterpreted’ and that Williams had been offered her job back.
The statement read: “The operator reached out to Williams today and had a good conversation. In further detail.
“The operator explained that the policy was misinterpreted and said Williams was not terminated and she's more than welcome to come back and work at the restaurant.”
Williams declined the offer to return to the role.
Topics: US News
Claire Reid