Tully's Coffee
1
I just recently attended a training at Tully's headquarters and was expecting to be trained and begin my job at the Kenmore store excited and ready to work. Instead, I was treated with distain and unneccessary hostility. My hair is dyed red, and I was told by my store manager that as long as my hair was "someone's" natural haircolor, it would be no problem. The first day of my training, Joyce pulled me aside very publicly, the first of three such showy displays, and demanded I dye my hair.
This is Seattle, folks.. my hair is medium-length, short, and pulled back from my face. I have no piercings, no visible tattoos, and am generally clean-cut. I have coffee managing experience and was excited about starting a job at Tully's. Well, after I refused, somewhat alarmedly, to dye my hair.. Joyce's harrassment became worse. The next day, she pulled me again from the group and marched me to her office. She dialed my manager's number, making it apparent I was "in trouble" and handed me the phone. She stood there while I didn't know exactly what to say to my manager.. that my hair is red and Tully's doesn't like it??? I wasn't sure what the point was exactly. She left before the conversation was through, leaving me to find my way out of the headquarter office and back to the training room. I did not see her again until this time, she pulled me AND the other trainer into a dusty backroom, sat me down, glared at me and said, I quote- " Do you think you are a fit for our Tully's team??" distain dripping from her voice.I responded, a bit shakily, I have never been treated in such an odd hostile way in my LIFE-- " Yes, I think I have a lot to add to the Tully's team" . After this, she stood up stormily and marched us out of the room. She was trying to intimidate me. The other trainer, Mandy, whispered "I'm sorry" to me, and I made sure she knew I had no problem with her, she is very approachable and an excellent trainer.Now, I left my trainings feeling 1) that my experience made me want to tell everyone I know to not come near Tully's 2) that my manager would feel threatened to hire me on because Joyce had put her in a hard position 3) that there was some kind of wierd discrimination going on after it had been said during a game of two truths and a lie that I am a lesbian, and it was made clear that Joyce is very conservative- in fact, stated that she is a CARDHOLDER TO THE NRA, which I thought was VERY unprofessional, seeing as how she is a sort of spokesperson to the Tully's company. It left me feeling very unwelcome and confused, the way I was treated. The other girl, Mandy, when I voiced my concerns to her in private, said I should contact Human Resources and file a complaint. She stated- and I quote- "I felt very uncomfortable in that room when she asked if you felt you were a fit for our Tully's team"... I was made to feel embarressed in front of my fellow trainees, and I was faced with needless hostility. I would like to make sure no one else has to go through this sort of thing, when they are just trying to be trained for a job. If hair is tidy, out of the way, and not a green or orange or blue unnatural color, there should not be an issue. PERIOD. I do expect a follow up.
Thank you,
Emilee Quackenbush
