Local woman alleges unclear policies at new Lowe’s Foods in Asheville: Hired, but then fired over her pink hair

Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

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Via Reddit, a local woman shares a story on Facebook of being hired to work at the new Lowe’s Foods (former Harris Teeter) on Hendersonville Rd., training, showing up for work, and then being fired during “final training” for her dyed pink hair–which she had the whole time.

More comments from the Lowes’ Foods thread on Facebook:

Lowes Foods The store manager at our Asheville location contacted April today. We regret that she feels this way. Our policies and dress code were explained to April before she agreed to accept the position, and she decided to keep her hair color and abandon the job. We respect her decision and wish her the best. Our HR team works hard to make sure that our policies are fair and consistent for all employees. If you have any questions or comments please email us at [email protected] or contact our Customer Care Center.

April Fox Unfortunately, that’s not the case. I was not told that my hair color would be an issue, or I would have declined the offer and taken the other job that had been offered to me. I was told only that the job was contingent on my passing a background check and drug test, which I did. I assumed that since it was quite obvious that my hair was pink at the interview and nothing was said, that the company understood the unique culture of the location to which they were moving, and were hiring people based on the customer base they’d be serving. I only “abandoned” the job because the conditions under which I was hired were reneged upon, and I need to work in an environment in which I feel comfortable and secure, not as if I might be told on any given day that the conditions of my hire had changed. I have a family to support and need a job that’s as reliable as I would have been, as an employee. I believe the HR person to whom I spoke today was confused about who I am, as he mentioned me saying I am involved in “theatrical productions” at the same time he was assuring me I’d been told that my hair color was unacceptable, and I’ve had nothing to do with anything remotely theatrical since school plays in middle school.

Also confusing is the fact that HR is now saying that I was told before hire that my hair color needed changed, but when I came in this morning someone (I’m not sure if he was the store manager or what; I never got to know what role each person played in the company) came out of the office and said he was just told that I couldn’t work there with my hair the color that it is. If changing my hair color was a condition of employment from the start, why would this person present the information as if it was news to him?

I didn’t take this job because I needed pocket money. I took it because I have a family to support. Had I been told of the discriminatory policy up front, I could have taken other employment as offered and continued to look for other work, if necessary. I was counting on this job, I had committed to it, and to place a retroactive condition on my employment was wrong, plain and simple.

Vicki Martin Fox If she declined to accept the position because of your policy why was she trained??? I have known April her entire life. If this policy had been explained at the beginning, she would have left right then because of her principles. I know. I raised her.

Thread here.

The new Lowe’s Foods is scheduled to open around July 1.