14 DAY TRIAL // Hearing-impaired patrons are suing the Starbucks company for blatant discrimination at two coffee shops in New York.
According to Courthouse News, the class action includes testimonies by 12 deaf clients. They allege that they are made fun of by staff when they use sign language.
They further add that they have been refused service and even been kicked out of the establishment, which has brought about humiliation and great emotional distress.
Plaintiff Alan Roth described being ejected from the coffee shop after a confrontation with a server. He was allegedly insulted by the attendant, who needed to be restrained by a second employee.
The incident took place in August 2012 at a Park Avenue South location. At the time, Roth was told that "he sounded funny" and he was laughed at by the employee who was taking his order.
Upon asking to talk to a manager, he was cursed at but, although he did file a complaint, it yielded no results. He was asked to leave and never return to the cafe by other members of the staff.
"Mr. Roth was shocked and humiliated and asked the Starbucks employee if she had a problem with him being deaf," the affidavit procured by HuffPost reads.
"[The employee] then proceeded to go around the counter and started screaming obscenities in plaintiff's face and was then pulled away by other Starbucks staff," it adds.
Attorney Eric Baum has stated that this is not uncommon for clients with hearing disabilities.
"It's a sad reality that even in 2013, deaf individuals experience discrimination on a routine basis," he said. "It's happening right under your nose," Baum discusses.
A Starbucks rep has stated that they are investigating the claims, but the details of the inquiry have not been provided. Baum is asking for sensitivity training for employees as well as a corporate culture change.
"Ideally, someone independently should investigate these allegations and determine what steps need to be taken," he argues.