The Law Offices of Daniel Feder Files Racial Profiling Lawsuit Against Luxury Retail Giant Ferragamo

SAN FRANCISCO--()--The Law Offices of Daniel Feder:

A former sales associate of Ferragamo, USA, Inc. filed suit today in federal court in San Francisco (Case 3:17-cv-06522-KAW MAASCIO v. FERRAGAMO, USA, INC.) alleging violations of California anti-discrimination laws based on Ferragamo’s systematic practice of racially profiling customers at its retail stores.

The lawsuit is brought by Plaintiff Seghen Maascio, a former Sales Associate employed by Defendant Ferragamo, USA, Inc. for several years at Ferragamo’s retail store at 236 Post Street, San Francisco, California. Ferragamo is a high-end retailer of luxury clothing and accessories with stores worldwide.

Maascio’s complaint alleges that in or about August 2016, Maascio complained to her managers and the Human Resources Department about discrimination and retaliation against her by her supervisors, including complaints regarding Ferragamo’s systematic policies of racial profiling. Maascio alleges that Ferragamo developed and implemented detailed guidelines requiring all retail employees to interact with customers based on a comprehensive set of racial and national stereotypes for several countries. Among other things, the written Ferragamo’s policies allege that customers from different nations and races would have specific personality traits, values, and behaviors which Ferragamo considered to be typical people from Brazil, Mexico, South Korea, Japan, China, Italy, Nigeria, Russia, and Nigeria.

Maascio alleges that Ferragamo required employees to participate in training for profiling and to pass a written test demonstrating competencies in racial profiling according to its guidelines.

Plaintiff was fired on November 11, 2016 shortly after she opposed Ferragamo’s systematic practice of racial profiling, discrimination against her based on her race, and her pregnancy.

Among the racial and national stereotypes Maascio alleges are specifically stated in written policies prepared and implemented by Ferragamo for handling customers at its stores are that Brazilians have a heightened sense of sensuality and enjoy physical contact, Mexicans are demanding customers and that Italians judge people based on their clothes, shoes, and accessories. This list of the stereotypes is more than 10 pages long and includes dozens of similar stereotypes for each of the 9 nine nationalities covered.

The lawsuit seeks compensatory and punitive damages arising from the discriminatory practices and injunctive relief from the Court preventing Ferragamo from continuing to engage in profiling of customers and employees based on their race and national origin.

About The Law Offices of Daniel Feder

The Law Offices of Daniel Feder specializes in representing employees in discrimination, harassment, and class-action litigation.

Contacts

The Law Offices of Daniel Feder
Daniel Feder
415-391-9476
415-710-3277
Daniel@dfederlaw.com

Release Summary

Luxury Retailer Ferragamo Sued for Racially Profiling Customers

Contacts

The Law Offices of Daniel Feder
Daniel Feder
415-391-9476
415-710-3277
Daniel@dfederlaw.com