Whole Foods Cleared of Breaking the Law in Black Lives Matter Apparel Case
Summary:
An administrative judge ruled that the chain did not break the law by forbidding employees to wear apparel showing support for Black Lives Matter.
Whole Foods Not Found Guilty of Violating Labor Rights
Whole Foods did not violate the law when it punished employees for wearing apparel supporting the Black Lives Matter movement, a federal administrative judge ruled on Wednesday. The judge for the National Labor Relations Board, Ariel Sotolongo, said Whole Foods had not violated the labor rights of employees in 2020 when it disciplined them for wearing masks, pins, and other accessories emblazoned with the “Black Lives Matter” slogan. The judge wrote that wearing the apparel was not connected “with their employment or working conditions.”
Possibility of Appeal
The employees will be able to appeal the decision to the labor board.
The Case Against Whole Foods
The case was brought in July 2020 by 14 employees in four states who said the grocery chain had illegally disciplined them while citing its dress code policy. The workers said they had been sent home without pay or fired for wearing apparel with the slogan. Whole Foods denied retaliating against employees.
Whole Foods’ Response
“Our diverse culture continues to be a source of great pride for Whole Foods Market, and we remain focused on creating both a safe and inclusive workplace for all,” the company said in a statement on Thursday. “We are pleased with the outcome of this case.”
