Reference no: EM133512125

Sean started a garden center business "Buds" last spring in a large town in California. The center sells plants, gifts, and there is a coffee shop as well. The company employs around twenty people. Sean lists his concerns about recent events at "Buds" and asks for your advice about the best practice and regulatory compliance, based on relevant principles and cases.

Sean says "I have just not paid enough attention to employee relations...Talk about problems! It looks like we may be sued by several people. I am worried. What I need from you is your detailed assessment of each employee's problem and whether we are likely to have to pay any damages to these employees.

So anyway, here are three situations I am facing. I need to know from you... 'what ought we to do '?

A) Harriet, one of our waitresses in the coffee shop, who had recovered from bad burns to her face and arms, and is overweight, was let go by Jim, our newly hired coffee shop manager, just a couple of days after he arrived early in June. He told me "Yes, she was experienced. However, we were really suffering financially because customers stayed away. Better for business to have good looking young servers. That's what customers want. Harriet was seriously scary to look at, and heavy. In fact, we have had so many more customers since Harriet left."

B) Jim hired two young attractive women, Jasmin, and Yvette, to replace Harriet. He told me, "This is to kick off our new theme: a coffee shop, with a real Dutch look. So, we dress the women in national costume. I turned down guys who applied for jobs, including a Dutch guy, with experience, but whose English was pretty basic."

C) Jim suggested that we have a themed promotion in the garden center highlighting plants and crafts from Indonesia. He advertised for "Sales staff wanted in the garden center, expertise in orchid growing required. Preference given to Indonesian born candidates." Jim hires one applicant, Terry, who is an African American and an expert in orchid growing. Terry is not allowed to serve customers. An Indonesian born woman with little sales