Retail manager denies "taunting" employee

30th June 2009

A manager at Abercrombie & Fitch accused of discriminating against an employee with a prosthetic arm has denied the allegations to a tribunal.

Maria Barbera said that while she did ask Rhiam Dean to work in the stockroom due to contravening the company's 'look policy', she was unaware that the girl had been given express permission to wear a jumper.

"I was aware that she had a prosthetic arm, but did not know that she had been given approval to wear clothes that were not in accordance with the look policy," she remarked.

Ms Barbera stated that she confronted Ms Dean after the latter had allegedly complained to a colleague that she had been "kicked off" the shop floor by the manager, but denied being intimidating.

Commenting on her experience, Ms Dean claims she felt "diminished" by the ordeal.

Recently the law student's mother, May, confirmed that she had advised her daughter to leave the organisation rather than suffer the alleged humiliation.