Traveling thru Brentwood, TN? Make sure you BOYCOTT the Artee Hotel: They FIRE gay employees!

[MrScorpio]

Tennessee Hotel Employee Fired For Being Gay
Jim Burroway
January 9th, 2009

They say this sort of thing never happens, but here it is. David Hill says he was fired from the Artee Hotel (a former Holiday Inn) in Brentwood, Tennessee, simply for being gay. Not only that, but the owner who fired him dared him to sue:

“They literally said to me because of my orientation and my alternative lifestyle, that I was not a fit for the hotel,” said Hill.

Hill said he used to be the human resources director and is shocked at the owner’s decision to dismiss him because of his sexual preference. “The owner (Tarun Surti) said, ‘I don’t give a damn. They can sue me. I will not have any of the gays in leadership roles in my hotel.’ And that’s a quote,” said Hill.

Assistant general manager, Leonard Stoddard, confirmed Hill’s allegation. He should know, because he said he was the one who had to fire Hill. He spoke with Nashville’s Channel 4 News:

“The owner, Mr. Surti, comes from a culture that is not very tolerant to the gay lifestyle, and therefore he felt it necessary to have him removed from the workforce at the property,” said Stoddard.

“(He was fired) strictly because of his sexual orientation?” asked reporter Katina Rankin.

“I do believe that’s a very fair assumption,” asked Stoddard.

“Did you agree with his decision?” asked Rankin.

“I did not,” said Stoddard. “It is in our employee handbook that no one should be discriminated against, harassed verbally, physically or any other means for their sexuality, their sexual orientation, gender, race or anything of that sort.”

Meanwhile, it appears the firings didn’t start with Hill, and may not end with him:

Stoddard said Hill’s termination came after Surti received a letter which listed the names of several gay staff members including Hill and Stoddard. That letter was written by a former employee who had been fired for, among other reasons, being gay, Stoddard said.

…Stoddard said Surti fired Hill and told Stoddard he would soon need to find a new employer, as well. Stoddard has worked at the hotel for 10 months. He has not been officially terminated yet, but expects to be soon.

Which may explain why Stoddard spoke so freely with Channel 4.

Surti wouldn’t comment to Channel 4, but according to Out & About, Surti blamed the firings on staff cutbacks.

Hill plans to file a complaint with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Department of Labor, bt it’s not clear how far that will go. While U.S. law does protect against employment discrimination on the basis of religion, race, and ethnicity, and disability, it doesn’t cover sexual orientation.

http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2009/01/09/7885

[BlooInBloo]

1. "They can sue me." - Excellent idea.

[ruggerson]

4. IT's still legal in most states, including TN, to fire gay people simply because they are gay

ENDA would stop that, but it hasn't yet become federal law.

[BlooInBloo]

5. Doh! Then starting with the first step you mentioned is the way to go.

[NOW tense]

2. In college I was turned away from two hotels

because they thought my friend and I were gay. That is the reason why I have always been for equal rights and that doesn't even compare to being fired from a job.

[Edweird]

3. I'm guessing this Surti fella is about to get some very expensive education.

He's an ass.

[Solon]

6. Just an FYI for all commenters, the fired employee has no legal standing to sue, this is LEGAL. n/t

[HillbillyBob]

7. I have been repeatedly fired from construction work

for the same 'reason' even though I appear very masculine, I guess because I did not act like an ass toward women walking by, no girlfriend, wife etc.
I was also fired from Flannagans restuarants in SoFl because I was HIV poz.
Yes it was in my personnel files in the home office, it was not supposed to be accesible to the individual managers of the stores.
Dianna the gung ho manager tried to force me to work double shifts.
As a cook on the opening shifts then go home (5 miles by bicycle) and come back and wait tables til closing time at 12 or 1 am.
The 'reason' she used was that there was A (1) customer complaint against me, when there were several others on staff that had more complaints they were straight. The real complaint was that I would not serve alcohol to an under age customer, not that I would not wait on him. I brought his food, just not his 151 and coke, I asked for ID he was 17 the legal age was 21 for booze or 19, anyway he was not old enough.
The assistant manager told me several months later that Dianna (can't remember her last name) had gone into my (confidential)personnel file and found I had hiv and tried to make me quit..I ended up homeless because of that ....

[AnotherDreamWeaver]

18. sorry to hear that, Your not still homeless are you?

[datasuspect]

8. " . . . it doesn’t cover sexual orientation."

there you are.

this fellow will not be accorded the same protections as other legally protected classes.

the Tarun fella owns the place, he can hire and fire who he wants.

so can any other employer. they often do this with legally protected classes too and get away with it.

not saying i agree, but it is what it is.

farting on a message board accomplishes ZIP toward ameliorating any of it.

[Solon]

9. No offense, but nothing we do on this board does shit, it still doesn't stop us...

from commenting on it now, does it? Stating the obvious, which also doesn't accomplish anything, seems rather stupid to me.

[mitchtv]

12. It would help if somehow the mgr made

Worst person in the world

[MrScorpio]

13. You mean the OWNER nt

[mitchtv]

14. Yes, I see

The mgr is "against it"

[NOW tense]

11. God bless ya but

I thought that was the whole point of DU? Commenting on news stories with people is all this is until we step outside of our houses with maybe a new perspective.

[ruggerson]

10. He might have a civil case because of the employee handbook

but he cannot sue for violation of any state or federal law, as none yet exists to protect him.

[mitchtv]

15. A fly over state

I won;t be staying anywhere near TN

[MrScorpio]

16. I never expected to sleep in Nashville when I was driving home a long time ago...

But it happened..

[1776Forever]

17. Here is a local article & pic of Hill - Nice to see them sticking up for Hill! Good for them!

Brentwood Hotelier Fires Employee For Being Gay
Posted January 09, 2009 at 11:09:57 AM
by Brantley Hargrove

http://blogs.nashvillescene.com/pitw/2009/01/brentwood_hotelier_fires_emplo.php



David Hill, a reportedly fine human resources manager fired for being gay

When employers fire people based on race, sexual orientation or whatever, there's some bullshit excuse behind it--poor performance, suspected larceny, general loafing. The owner of the Artee Hotel in Brentwood, Tarun Surti, engages in no such song and dance. In fact, Surti had a gay employee compile a list of other gay employees, then methodically canned them.

"The owner (allegedly) said, 'I don't give a damn. They can sue me. I will not have any of the gays in leadership roles in my hotel.' And that's a quote," fired human resources director David Hill told Channel 4 News.

Mr. Surti will very soon learn a lesson in equal opportunity employment. Hill has apparently already filed complaints with the Department of Labor and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. He says he'll also file a civil suit.