Wet Seal Wants 'Armani Look', Gets Hit With Discrimination Suit

Not every employment discrimination lawsuit is viable. That’s why you let the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission decide for you.

Often, what leads to a good employment discrimination case is good evidence. And there’s no better evidence than a paper trail.

In a recent case, the EEOC has found that a woman in King of Prussia has a case against the retailer Wet Seal, reports The Philadelphia Inquirer.

The woman, 41-year-old Nicole Cogdell, claims that she endured racial discrimination at the King of Prussia location of Wet Seal. Her case will now go to the federal courts.

She is African American and claims that she was dismissed from her job at Wet Seal when the Wet Seal vice president complained that there were too many African Americans working at the store. This complaint was in an email.

Cogdell, a former manager, was told that she was “not right” for the job, despite the fact that she was rated “outstanding.” According to The Fort Mill Times, the complaint states that corporate managers openly stated that in order for the store to be successful, the retailer had to hire people with “the Armani look.”

The lawsuit is seeking class certification as Codgell isn’t the only African American woman to file the lawsuit.

Solid proof of discrimination is key. Luckily for the women involved in this case, the vice president sent out the discriminatory remarks in an email — a foolish move, no doubt. The vice president is no longer with the company, reports The Philadelphia Inquirer.

According to The OC Register, Wet Seal has released a statement saying that it fully cooperated with the EEOC and that it has made substantial changes to its equal opportunity policies.

Related Resources:

• Philadelphia Employment Lawyers (FindLaw)
• Former Partner Sues Greenberg Traurig Over Gender Discrimination (FindLaw’s Philadelphia Employment Law Blog)
• Ellen Pao: The Woman Who Shook Up the Big Boys Club (FindLaw’s Philadelphia Employment Law Blog)