By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2024-10-02 03:45:25 | Updated at 2024-10-03 04:33:49
1 day ago
A black man is suing an Iowa-based trucking company, alleging he was fired as a driver because he refused to cut his dreadlocks.
Drew Harvey, 26, accused TMC Transportation and two of its employees of racism in a lawsuit he filed on September 26.
Harvey applied to be a flat-bed truck driver with the company on June 4, and he was set to begin his orientation on June 24, according to court documents obtained by People.
The day after the orientation, Harvey was called into a meeting with an HR representative, according to the complaint.
Harvey was allegedly told 'he needed to cut his hair' 'or be fired.' The reason given, according to the lawsuit, was that his hair was a 'safety issue.'
Drew Harvey, 26, has filed a lawsuit against TMC Transportation alleging he was racially discriminated against and wrongfully terminated because of his hairstyle
In an interview with We Are Iowa, Harvey gave an inside look in how this meeting with HR went.
'You've been doing a splendid job,' he recalled being told. 'But you're going to have to cut your hair by Friday or you're not going to be able to continue with the company.'
Harvey said his supervisor told him it was company policy that employees needed to have short hair so that hard hats would fit properly.
Harvey claimed that this was the first time he'd heard of the company having a specific policy governing the hairstyles of its employees.
To remedy the issue, Harvey said in the lawsuit that he offered to trim or style his hair differently.
The lawsuit also says he offered to wear his hair in a wrap or purchase a different hard hat so that safety wouldn't be an issue.
The company allegedly rejected these proposals, which was when his employment was terminated, according to the suit.
Harvey, who traveled approximately six hours to the job from his home in Crete, Illinois, to commute to the job was 'sent home on a bus in tears.'
Harvey's lawyer, Benjamin Lynch, claims that TMC hasn't reached out to them regarding the active litigation
'TMC’s policy is racist and inconsistently enforced,' Harvey’s complaint stated.
Harvey believes this because he alleges he saw several other non-black employees, male and female, had long hair and didn't suffer any sort of reprisal from the company.
As such, the suit said this long hair policy was unfairly enforced, violating the Iowa Civil Rights Act.
The lawsuit argues that Harvey will 'suffer injuries and damages, including but not limited to emotional distress, lost wages, loss of benefits, loss of future earnings, and other emoluments of employment.'
Harvey is seeking an unspecified amount in damages.
Benjamin Lynch, Harvey's attorney, said his client is currently searching for work.
'That petition says that he literally cried on the way home,' Lynch told People. 'That is a true statement, that he was very upset by this. He drove six hours to come here and he got canned on the second day because of his hair.'
He continued: 'So he's upset. It's a real thing and we haven't really gotten any resolution on it because I've just yet to hear back from TMC. So it's troubling.'
Lynch claimed that over a dozen other former TMC employees have similar complaints to Harvey.
'So in addition to him [Harvey] wanting resolution on his matter, he also wants to make sure that something like this doesn't happen again,' Lynch said.
DailyMail.com approached TMC for comment.
