Bartender Claims She Was Fired Over Pregnancy & For Failing To Dress Like A “California Hooker”

Even if your place of employment doesn’t have a uniform per se, many jobs like to foster a certain look. But one former bartender at a a bar in Studio City, Calif. says she was punished for not wearing risqué enough clothing, and also for the inconvenience of being pregnant.

CBS Los Angeles says the woman filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior court, accusing her former employers of pregnancy discrimination, wrongful termination, failure to prevent discrimination, negligence and both intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress.

According to her documents, while many of her coworkers dressed in tank tops with shorts or skirts, she happened to like wearing pants to work. Apparently that was all well and good — until she got pregnant and told management in June of 2012, she claims.

She says the bar’s managers didn’t like her so much after that, sending her text messages like: “I just don’t know if it’s going to work out here … you’d be a better server and have only one shift, but you told me you can’t overdo carrying trays and food.”

That message prompted a meeting, where she says the general manager informed her the bar’s owners didn’t like the way she dresses. It was “too Midwest conservative, not California hooker,” the lawsuit alleges, and she says she was fired at the end of the meeting.

It’s unclear whether perhaps Midwest Hooker or California Conservative would’ve been acceptable.

Suit Alleges Pregnant Bartender Was Fired For Not Dressing Like ‘California Hooker’ [CBS Los Angeles]

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