Latest news with #InNOut
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Black In-N-Out Burger worker 'racially harassed' by bosses he claims asked him to remove body hair
A black In-N-Out Burger employee was allegedly racially harassed by his bosses after he refused to trim his sideburns, according to a new lawsuit. Elijah Obeng, 21, claims he suffered severe emotional distress and was wrongfully terminated after he was targeted by management over the popular burger chain's dress code, the lawsuit, filed Thursday with the Compton Superior Court, read. Obeng, who worked at the Compton location for nearly four years after graduating high school, was soon informed he had to change his hairstyle as it started to grow. The chain requires all staff to wear company-issued hats with their hair tucked in. Males employees must also be clean-shaven, the lawsuit detailed. After he was told he had to alter his hairstyle, Obeng started wearing braids, but management still found an issue with his sideburns - something that is part of his 'racial and cultural identity,' per the lawsuit. Shortly after his boss started to complain about his facial hair, which Obeng 'found humiliating and discriminatory,' he quickly realized a drastic change in his work environment. According to the legal filing, Obeng started 'experiencing different treatment' afterward, including being reprimanded for not attending meetings and for 'minor infractions.' His coworkers 'were not disciplined for similar conduct,' it added. Tensions soon rose to a boiling point when Obeng clocked in for his shift on May 25, 2024 as his supervisor asked him to go home and shave his sideburns before returning back to the fast food restaurant, the lawsuit stated. At the time, Obeng was told to do so by his boss 'in full view of his coworkers,' leading him to 'feel publicly humiliated,' the legal document said. Instead of returning back to his shift that day, Obeng texted his supervisor, letting them know he would clock back in for his next scheduled shift because he believed the particular incident was 'a discriminatory and unnecessary grooming requirement,' according to the lawsuit. Just a few days after, Obeng was fired from the job 'due to his protected traits and in violation of public policy,' the lawsuit read. Despite his claim, In-N-Out said Obeng was actually let go because of 'prior write-ups,' not because of 'his natural hair' and the company's 'resistance to discriminatory policies,' it continued. The suit said the burger chain allegedly violated the CROWN act, also known as Creating a Respectful and Open Workplace for Natural Hair. In California employers are prohibited from discriminating against staffers based on their hair texture or style, per the CROWN act. 'This policy disproportionately burdened Black employees whose natural hair may not conform to such grooming standards,' the lawsuit read. Because of what he allegedly experienced at the hands of his former employers, Obeng has gone on to suffer 'anxiety, humiliation, and loss of dignity,' per the lawsuit. He has demanded that In-N-Out pay $1 million in compensatory damages, $2 million for emotional distress and $200,000 for back or front pay. He has also demanded that punitive damages be proven at a trial, the lawsuit said. Daily Mail contacted Obeng, his lawyer and In-N-Out for comment. The term sideburns was first coined by Ambrose Burnside, a Union general who sported the unique facial hair. Sideburns really became popular in the 1960-1970s as hippies and rock stars hopped on the trend. For black men specifically, facial hair is more than a fashion statement as it is symbolizes cultural legacy and identity. Throughout the 60s and 70s sideburns, afros and beards became popular as black men sported them to express their pride and resistance. Key figures, including human rights activist Malcom X and Black Power Movement leader Stockely Carmichael, often influenced grooming choices for men in the black community. From the 70s to the 80s, sideburns became part of a larger story as they became tied to soul, disco and funk performers, including Marvin Gaye, Isaac Hayes and Curtis Mayfield.
The Independent
5 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
Compton man launches lawsuit against In-N-Out alleging discrimination over hairstyle
A Compton man is suing In-N-Out burger for racial discrimination, after he was allegedly pulled up multiple times, and eventually fired, over his hairstyle. Elijah Obeng, 21, who is Black, claims that he was unfairly targeted by managers at the store who singled him out over the required employee dress code – which resulted in severe emotional distress. In-N-Out requires its employees to wear company-issued hats with their hair tucked in, and male employees must be clean-shaven, according to a civil lawsuit obtained by the Los Angeles Times. The outlet reports, per the suit, that Obeng worked at the Compton In-N-Out location for just under four years. As his hair grew longer, Obeng was told by management that he should change the style so that it would remain under the company issued hat. Obeng braided his hair to comply with the request, but was later told to cut off his sideburns. He considered the sideburns important to his cultural identity, according to the lawsuit. After resisting the instructions to shave his sideburns and change his hair, Obeng alleges that he was treated differently – including being criticized more frequently and held to standards his coworkers were not. He was also denied opportunities for promotions, according to the suit. In May 2024, Obeng felt he had been 'publicly humiliated' after a supervisor told him to go home to shave his sideburns in front of other coworkers – which he did not do. According to the suit, Obeng texted his supervisor that he would return for his next shift, and a few days later he was fired. In-N-Out said the firing was due to prior write-ups, but Obeng believes that it was a retaliation for his refusal to adhere to the dress code policies, the filing states. The alleged discrimination has caused Obeng 'anxiety, humiliation, and loss of dignity,' the Times reports. In addition, the lawsuit claims that by asking Obeng to cut his hair, In-N-Out has violated the CROWN Act (Creating a Respectful and Open Workplace for Natural Hair). The California law stops employers from discriminating on the basis of an employee's hairstyle or hair texture.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
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. Read more: Federal judge dismisses lawsuit over Flamin' Hot Cheetos origin story 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. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Daily Mail
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Reason for Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom's 'rough patch' revealed... as they struggle to fix relationship before it's 'too late'
Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom know what it's like to break up. After all, the quirky couple split just months after going official in January 2016, having bonded over a mutual love of fast-food chain In-N-Out at a Golden Globes afterparty.
The Independent
11-06-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Revealed: The US restaurant chains with the happiest employees
A William Blair study, encompassing over 530,000 reviews across nearly 90 restaurant chains, has revealed the U.S. restaurant chains with the highest and lowest employee satisfaction rates. In-N-Out ranked first for the tenth consecutive year, with 91% of employees recommending their job to a friend, a 5% increase from last year. Raising Cane's secured the second position with 82% of employees recommending their job, while Dutch Bros and Chuy's tied for third at 78%. Peet's Coffee & Tea ranked fourth (76%), and Caribou Coffee and Lazy Dog tied for fifth (75%). McDonald's had a 60% recommendation rate, while Dunkin' Donuts had 44%; Chipotle, Wendy's, Panera Bread, Starbucks, Pret-A-Manger, and Red Lobster all had rates of 53% or less. The study indicated that while wages have increased, non-monetary factors like culture, values, and work-life balance are more strongly correlated with employee satisfaction.
