A Lawsuit Against Whole Foods was Dismissed for Punishing Employees for Wearing BLM Masks
BOSTON — Almost all of the claims in a federal lawsuit against Whole Foods for punishing employees who wore Black Lives Matter face masks have been dismissed, including claims made by a Randolph resident.
The lawsuit named 14 plaintiffs, including Suverino Frith, of Randolph. Frith worked at the Whole Foods on River Street in Cambridge and said in the lawsuit that he was sent home after showing up to work wearing a Black Lives Matter face mask.
Attorney Shannon Liss-Riordan filed the lawsuit in June and said in it that employees were sent home for the day, without pay, if they wore Black Lives Matter face masks and received “disciplinary points,” which could lead to being fired.
The supermarket chain disciplined, intimidated and retaliated against the workers who were showing solidarity with the racial justice movement that had a resurgence of support following the May death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, court documents say.
