Abuse victim who lost teeth says she was booted from job over Sheetz ‘smile policy’

Oh, Sheet-z.

An Ohio lady claims she misplaced her job at a Sheetz comfort retailer as a result of her tooth violated its “smile coverage” — after her abusive ex-husband knocked them out.

Rose Marie Counts detailed in a Fb submit how she left work in Circleville “crying” after being referred to as in by her boss over her busted-up tooth.

“I used to be knowledgeable that coverage states all Sheetz staff will need to have and stay with an ideal lovely heat welcoming smile,” she wrote.

“The corporate defines my smile as unbeautiful as a result of I nonetheless have work that must be achieved on them,” she wrote, saying that her insurance coverage wouldn’t pay for momentary dentures whereas she awaits everlasting ones.

So “although I’m good at my job I can now not be a frontline worker with the corporate due to my smile,” she stated.

Counts included audio of the assembly that confirmed her explaining her heartbreaking backstory to her boss.

“This firm has no concept what I’ve been by. I misplaced these entrance tooth as a result of my ex-husband headbutted me as a result of I forgot to show the corridor mild out,” stated Counts, who’s now in a brand new relationship.

“It’s legit, it’s a nasty expertise that occurred in my life that I’m nonetheless attempting to …,” she stated, trailing off from the painful recollection.

After a pause, her supervisor stated “that’s advantageous” — whereas making clear she wouldn’t be returning to work the register, regardless of the supervisor saying she had heard “fantastic issues” about her from prospects.

The supervisor may solely say she was “so sorry” when Counts informed her that she must “search different employment” due to the obvious discrimination.

“I really feel like my job efficiency ought to be sufficient — I don’t really feel like I ought to should justify myself due to my appears,” the audio caught her telling her boss.

When she stated it made Sheetz an organization she now not needed to be “related to,” the supervisor replied: “That’s comprehensible.”

“I actually am sorry that that’s the way in which you are feeling about us,” the supervisor stated, having earlier admitted that she’d “had different related conversations” with staff “that didn’t go so nicely.”

Counts wrote that she left “crying” as a result of she felt compelled to go away a “job that I beloved.”

“I cannot spend one purple penny at Sheetz!!!” she wrote.

“That is for my part one of many greatest types of discrimination that there could be. Who’re they to resolve what magnificence is. So I depart this job feeling like I’m not adequate once more,” she stated.

Sheetz didn’t instantly reply to a request for touch upon Counts’ claims.

Nevertheless, a rep just lately informed Insider that it was reviewing the so-called “smile coverage” after complaints from different employees in its 650 shops, that are additionally in Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland and North Carolina.

The outlet obtained a duplicate of the worker handbook that claims that “candidates with apparent lacking, damaged, or badly discolored tooth (unrelated to a incapacity) aren’t certified for employment with Sheetz.”

“Sheetz believes that an worker’s smile throughout interactions with prospects and coworkers is important to creating the sense of hospitality in our shops that we try for,” the coverage states.

“I hate the coverage,” one former North Carolina staffer who stop over the coverage informed Insider.

“It’s actually disgusting and sort of classist, particularly when nearly all of folks you’re using are going to be lower-income,” the previous worker stated.

Sheetz PR supervisor Nick Ruffner informed the outlet that the story “has prompted a extra particular overview to make sure our insurance policies are aligned with Sheetz’s dedication to foster a tradition of respect.”

“Whereas we now have a private look coverage that features dental well being, we offer lodging to the coverage which are granted for medical, cultural, and spiritual causes,” Ruffner stated.

“At Sheetz, it’s important that we honor and acknowledge our staff’ various experiences, particular person identities, and distinctive views.”