August 3rd 2023.
Autumn Williams, a 16-year-old North Carolina teen, had to learn a hard lesson about the connection between her hair and her work performance. Williams told Queen City News that her employer, Chick-fil-A in Harrisburg, pulled her aside due to a uniform violation - her blonde braids weren't her natural hair color.
Williams was shocked and embarrassed that she was being singled out after only working at the popular fast-food restaurant for three months. She recalled her supervisor saying, “one of our supervisors came by and said they noticed blonde in your hair, and he asked that you leave and come back when it’s taken out since it’s an unnatural color to you.”
Williams was confused as to why this wasn't mentioned during orientation and decided to bring the issue up to human resources. After seeing that some of her fellow coworkers also had hair that was deemed “unnatural”, she wanted to know what the employee handbook said about it.
The employee handbook stated that "unnatural hair colors or eccentric styles are not permitted." It went on to say that "females: hair that falls around the face must be tied back using a simple hair band or barrette that has no loose or dangling parts." Williams wasn't given the clarification she needed, so she decided to quit.
Williams' mother, Nina Burch, was also confused as to why her daughter was sent home. She tried to speak to management about the situation but was refused. Chick-fil-A corporate later admitted that the teen's supervisor misinterpreted the policy and said Williams was welcome to return to the specified location.
Williams, however, had no desire to ever work there again. She said, “No one else should feel like they have to change themselves to fit into someone’s perfect image of them.” Her story serves as a reminder that everyone should be treated with respect and given the clarification they need when it comes to work policies.
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