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Disabled woman sues clothes store Disabled woman sues clothes store
(about 3 hours later)
A woman claims clothing firm Abercrombie & Fitch made her work in the stockroom because her prosthetic arm did not fit the shop's image.A woman claims clothing firm Abercrombie & Fitch made her work in the stockroom because her prosthetic arm did not fit the shop's image.
Law student Riam Dean, 22, who was born with her left forearm missing, is suing for disability discrimination and is seeking up to £20,000 in damages. Riam Dean, 22, told an Employment Tribunal she felt "diminished" and "humiliated" following the incident at Saville Row store in central London.
She had been employed at the Savile Row branch in central London. The law student is suing for disability discrimination and is seeking up to £20,000 in damages.
The firm said her portrayal of what happened is "inaccurate". A three-day Employment Tribunal is due to begin. The company said her portrayal of what happened is "inaccurate".
Ms Dean claims she was handed a guidebook when she joined the company dictating everything from how employees should wear their hair to the length of their fingernails. Miss Dean, who was born with her left forearm missing and wears a prosthetic arm, said she was granted special permission to wear a cardigan to cover the join in her arm.
'Look Policy' But she told the tribunal she was later removed from the shop floor and made to work in the stockroom because the cardigan did not adhere to the strict dress code.
She has worn the prosthetic limb since she was a baby and said she never thought to mention it during her interview. Miss Dean told the tribunal she felt "taunted" when her manager told her she could return to the shop floor of the firm's flagship store if she removed the cardigan.
Once she was given the job, she says she was granted special permission to wear a white cardigan to cover her arm. She said: "I felt personally diminished, humiliated and could not argue a point I could never win."
But after a few days in the firm's flagship London store she was told she was breaking the "Look Policy". She told the hearing she would have stayed with the company until her law qualification was complete, had she not been "bullied" out of her job.
She claims she was sent to the stockroom and asked to work from there until the winter uniform arrived. 'Adult bullying'
Ms Dean has just finished her final exams at London's Queen Mary University. Miss Dean added that, when she left the company, she "wasn't the same person".
A spokeswoman for the company said: "We cannot discuss the specifics of a pending matter, but can say that Miss Dean's portrayal of what occurred during her employment with Abercrombie & Fitch is inaccurate. She said: "I was always prepared for children to be curious about my disability, but to be faced with adult bullying, no-one could have prepared me for such debasement."
Miss Dean has just finished her final exams at London's Queen Mary University.
A spokeswoman for the company said before the three-day hearing began on Wednesday: "We cannot discuss the specifics of a pending matter, but can say that Miss Dean's portrayal of what occurred during her employment with Abercrombie & Fitch is inaccurate.
"We regret that Miss Dean has felt it necessary to bring a claim to the Employment Tribunal."We regret that Miss Dean has felt it necessary to bring a claim to the Employment Tribunal.
"Abercrombie & Fitch has a strong anti-discrimination and anti-harassment policy, and is committed to providing a supportive and dignified environment for all of its employees.""Abercrombie & Fitch has a strong anti-discrimination and anti-harassment policy, and is committed to providing a supportive and dignified environment for all of its employees."