Wet Seal Looked For Workers With 'Blond Hair And Blue Eyes,' Ex-Employees Claim: Wet Seal Inc has been sued by three former employees who accused it of discriminating against black store managers because they did not fit the image the U.S. retailer, which sells clothes for young women, wanted to convey.
According to a complaint filed Thursday in a federal court in Santa Ana, California, "the most senior executives" of Wet Seal adopted a "policy and practice" of discriminating against black store managers at Wet Seal and Arden B stores from at least 2008 because those workers did not fit its "brand image."
Wet Seal in a statement said it is an equal opportunity employer with a diverse workforce.
"We deny any and all allegations of race discrimination and will vigorously defend this matter," the company said.
The Wet Seal complaint quotes, among others, a senior vice president of store operations who allegedly emailed subordinates on March 3, 2009, after touring 20 stores in the Philadelphia area and Maryland, writing: "Store teams - need diversity/African American dominate - huge issue."
