A British woman with a prosthetic arm took US clothing store Abercrombie & Fitch to a tribunal Wednesday, saying she was forced to work in its stock room because she did not fit its "look policy". Riam Dean, a 22-year-old law graduate who was born with no left forearm, is reportedly seeking up to 20,000 pounds (23,500 euros, 33,000 dollars) from the clothing giant, a favourite with teenagers and twentysomethings.
She alleges disability discrimination and breach of contract, accusing company employees of "bullying" and "debasement". Dean says she was given permission to wear a cardigan to cover her arm when she was first hired, before being told a few days later the cardigan did not comply with the firm's dress code, also known as the "look policy". She was then told to work behind the scenes until the winter uniform which covered the arms arrived, she said.
Dean worked at Abercrombie & Fitch's flagship London store, where shoppers are greeted by male models stripped to the waist and browse for clothes in a dimly-lit night-club-style atmosphere. She told the tribunal she "wasn't the same person" and "didn't want to socialise" after leaving her job.
"I felt so self-conscious, I would cover up and wear long cardigans despite it being summer," she said. "I began to assume that my arm would always cause me such trouble. "I was always prepared for children to be curious about my disability but to be faced with adult bullying, no one could have prepared me for such debasement." A spokeswoman for the store, which has not yet presented its case to the tribunal, described Dean's claims as "inaccurate".
"Abercrombie & Fitch has a strong anti-discrimination and anti-harassment policy and is committed to providing a supportive and dignified environment for all of its employees," the spokeswoman added. The employment tribunal in London started Wednesday and is expected to last for up to three days.