NYC restaurant owner fires server for not wearing Air Jordans: report
Admir Cuturic alleges that the club owner discriminated against him for having a foot injury that prohibited him from wearing the sneaker at work
One restaurant employee learned that lesson the hard way after being fired for refusing to don a pair of Air Jordans as part of his uniform.
Sneakerheads take their shoes very seriously. One restaurant employee learned that lesson the hard way after being fired for refusing to don a pair of Air Jordans as part of his uniform.
Restaurant server Admir Cuturic alleges that Naomi Ram, the owner of Jue Lan Club fired him in late 2019. He filed a lawsuit in Manhattan Federal Court for discrimination.
READ MORE: Texas bar sued for denying Black man entry for wearing Air Jordans
In the suit, Cuturic said that he exchanged messages with Ram after she decided to make Jordans a part of the uniform.
According to NY Daily News, a lawsuit showed that the text message exchange was intense.
“Wear it or don’t come to work,” Ram texted back according to the suit. “Furthermore cut the bullsh*t. Its basketball sneakers. Not high heels.”
“Thank you so much for u understanding my problem,” Cuturic wrote back with a sarcastic tone.
“Pick up your things today…don’t ever disrespect me,” Ram texted back.
(Air Jordans)
Cuturic alleges that he was unable to wear the sneakers due to an ankle injury after a car accident. He further notes that the injury is a protected disability. The man is seeking to make the suit a class-action suit on behalf of his coworkers alleging improper distribution of tips and overtime pay.
The Jue Lan Club is a high-end Chinese restaurant which is known to attract A-list celebrities and athletes, perhaps providing some reasoning why the restaurant chose to add the high-end sneakers to its staff’s uniform.
READ MORE: AOC says avoiding Chinese restaurants amid coronavirus is ‘straight-up racism’
The Air Jordan brand of basketball shoes was created for six-time NBA Finals MVP Michael Jordan in 1984. The notable brand is coveted in the sneaker community for its frequent re-releases and limited offerings.
A new documentary on the iconic basketball star recently debuted on ESPN. According to Variety, The Last Dance, has recorded huge ratings for the network, averaging more than 6 million viewers over the first two nights.
