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Wet Seal Racial Discrimination Class Action Lawsuit
By Matt O’Donnell
Three former employees have filed a racial discrimination class action lawsuit against clothing retailer Wet Seal, Inc. alleging that company executives discriminated against African American store manager because they did not fit into its “brand image.” The Plaintiffs say they were fired or replaced with white employees with less experience because of the color of their skin.
According to the Wet Seal discrimination class action lawsuit, filed in federal court in Santa Ana, California, “the most senior executives” of Wet Seal adopted a “policy and practice” of discriminating against black store managers at Wet Seal and Arden B stores from at least 2008 because those workers did not fit the image the U.S. retailer wanted to convey.
The Wet Seal class action lawsuit quotes a senior vice president of store operations allegedly saying in an email to subordinates on March 3, 2009 that, after touring 20 stores in the Philadelphia area and Maryland: “Store teams – need diversity/African American dominate – huge issue.”
One of the lead Plaintiffs in the Wet Seal discrimination class action lawsuit, Nicole Cogdell, claims she was fired from her job at a Pennsylvania Wet Seal store the day that email was sent, despite being promoted to store manager just two months earlier. Cogdell, who is black, claims she overheard the senior vice president commenting that she wanted a store manager with “blond hair and blue eyes” just before she was replaced with a white employee who had less experience and was paid more.
Wet Seal responded to the charges in the racial discrimination class action lawsuit by saying it is an equal opportunity employer with a diverse workforce, adding: “we deny any and all allegations of race discrimination and will vigorously defend this matter.”
The Wet Seal racial discrimination class action lawsuit is seeking back pay and benefits, punitive damages and other remedies for more than 250 current and former black Wet Seal managers. A similar discrimination lawsuit filed nearly a decade ago against retailer Abercrombie & Fitch resulted in a $40 million class action lawsuit settlement to resolve allegations Abercrombie fired and promoted white employees over black employees.
Updated July 18th, 2012
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2 thoughts onWet Seal Racial Discrimination Class Action Lawsuit
I was an employee for wetseal a total of four years. I believe I was mistreated and not paid correctly because of my race. I had the skill set and was paid less then someone of non African American race and no skills. When I became assistant manager I found out people who never worked retail made more then me. I was denied my raise multiple times. I did everything correct on the chain of command and got no where. Because of wetseal at the time I fell behind on bills and eventually became homeless. When I heard of the lawsuit it was to late told by an employee on the form for the lawsuit. If it is not to late I would like to lawfully get what’s owed to me. Also I had no write ups I had good shop scores and good sales under my management. I was even denied unemployment by the regional at the time which forced me to leave and live with family in another state.
They did the same to me Even when Ur shopping they act is if we dont have no money an trying to steal