Subway is again under scrutiny after a restaurant chain of theirs located in Sheridan, Indiana, allegedly fired an employee with HIV. The employee who fully trusted the manager of the chain, told her in confidence about the disease.
When the chain manager, Maria Manawat, learned the condition of the employee, she immediately retorted with rude questions, "What if you cut yourself? What if our customer finds out?" Manawat reported the case to the district manager, and a month after she contacted the employee stating that he might be a liability to the company and that they were going to have to let him go.
Now, the federal government's Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has filed a lawsuit against the Subway chain in Indiana. According to them it was wrongful to terminate the employee for having the disease.
"He was terminated solely because of stereotypes his employer had regarding persons with HIV. This is unlawful, and EEOC is here to fight such discrimination," Laurie A. Young, regional attorney for EEOC's Indianapolis District Office, said. Pointing out that the employee was a good worker and was fully capable of working with experience in the restaurant industry.
They are seeking for back pay, punitive damages and compensation from Subway. And if the allegation are proven to be truthful then they the chain has violated the American's Disability Act (ADA), which prohibits employers from discriminating against employees due to disability.
This is not the first hubbub that the food chain has come to face this year. They made headlines just a couple months back after Subway spokesperson, Jared Fogle, plead guilty to allegation that he paid for sex acts with girls as young as 16 years old. He also admitted to have received child pornography. The company has severed their ties with him.
Surely Subway will learn a thing or two with back to back headliners they are currently experiencing right now.
