The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has filed a lawsuit against Starbucks, alleging that the coffee chain violated federal law when it fired a barista-in-training who is a dwarf.

According to the suit, the woman was hired in 2009 by a Starbucks in El Paso. On her third day of training, she requested a stool or small stepladder to aid in her doing the job. The store declined the request and dismissed her that same day, claiming she could be a danger to customers and workers.

The EEOC says that Starbucks denied the employee a reasonable accommodation:

Starbucks has become a virtual icon of modern American culture, appealing to an incredibly diverse customer base… We’d hope that when considering hiring a person with a disability, Starbucks would choose to enhance its brand with the mark of equal opportunity and access.

U.S. sues Starbucks for firing dwarf from barista job [Reuters]

Thanks to Barry for the tip!

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