A former employee of a luxury car dealership says she was recently let go because of the way she looks and dresses for work.
A series of videos posted by TikToker Fer (@_ferjaneth) documents her experience working for the dealership where she was allegedly let go based entirely on her appearance, not her performance.
In an earlier video posted in June, she says she was told that the spouses of her coworkers were calling the dealership she worked at to say they were uncomfortable with her working there, based on how she looks.
“I got pulled aside today and got told that people’s spouses were calling and were saying that they are uncomfortable with me working there because of the way I dress and because of the way I look,” she says in her video. “First the [expletive] off, I’ve been here for 10 days. Why are your spouses calling?”
Very shortly after, she posted a follow-up video in which she shares that she was officially fired only a few days after receiving the first complaints about her appearance, despite relocating states to come and work at the dealership.
“It took my job three days to fire me for what I’m wearing,” she says in the video. “Let me show you what was the last straw for them. It’s from Express, and then I even wore my grandma heels thinking they would be fine. I guess the hoops didn’t help. But I also found out more information. The lady who came up to me, told one of my co-workers as soon as I walked in, she said, ‘Uh-uh, that girl’s making me uncomfortable, and I’m going to tell the GM about it.’ So, ugly duckling, if you’re watching this, I hope you feel beautiful at the dealership. I would switch up your style, I think it’s kind of old, but who am I to tell you what to do?”
Despite the loss of her job, Fer says she is happy to be leaving this work environment, as she saw several other employees let go for virtually no reason in her short time there.
“Anyway, I am super happy to be out of that super toxic work environment,” she says. “I feel like I can more freely speak about it now, because it felt like prison and I was only there for a few days. I know other people who picked up and moved their lives here and got fired. I think they’ve fired, now, like seven people within a month. If you don’t put your head down and listen to however they talk to you and whatever they say, yes ma’am, yes sir, they’re not going to like you and that’s just not my style.”
The Daily Dot has reached out to Fer via TikTok direct message as well as a comment on the video.
@_ferjaneth 3 DAYS!! Blessings in disguise 💫 #fired #storytime #saleswoman #dealership #luxury #latina #bbl #dresscode #fyp #dress #texascheck #update #pt4 ♬ original sound – Fer
Can someone be fired for their appearance?
As long as the issues an employer has with one’s appearance do not have anything to do with race, in an at-will state there is little to prevent an employer from parting with an employee over this.
At-will employment allows employers and employees to part fairly simply, unless the reason for an employee being fired is tied to a protected class, such as age, race or gender.
Still, many viewers found the insinuation that the poster’s appearance and ostensibly professional yet attractive style of dress should not preclude her from doing her job.
“If I go into a luxury car dealership I expect to be greeted by someone dressed like you,” one commenter wrote. “You look classy. Good luck on your next adventure!”
“Girl I work at a billion dollar company in HR- your outfits are just fine!” another said.
“You literally look so classy,” a third added. “Definitely a case of envy and jealousy. I’m so sorry this happened to you.”
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