Friday, January 9, 2009
Crazy Crap Brentwood Hotelier Fires Employee For Being Gay
Posted by Brantley Hargrove on Fri, Jan 9, 2009 at 11:09 AM
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.
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I'm curious as to why the news media isn't pointing out that Mr. Hill has no Equal Employment Opportunity protection. The Federal law does not including sexual orientation and TN is one of the few states that hasn't added that protection at the state level.
He may be able to get somewhere by claiming they defied their own Employee Handbook, if it truly claims no prejudice based on sexual orientation. I've heard of some people having some success in civil court with that approach when they have no legal sexual orientation protection.
Hill has apparently already filed complaints with the Department of Labor and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission."
"Apparently?"
He has or he hasn't. Odd word choice.
Sadly, Josh, you are correct. According to Howard Jackson, a local attorney experienced in this arena, there is no statute, either state or federal, that prohibits an employer from dismissing an employee based on sexual orientation. He did say that due to some court decisions handed down in the past, it is possible for a creative lawyer to manage an end-run around this, but you'd likely need to prove some sort of mistreatment based around gender identity. Best of luck to Mr. Hill...
Only 19 states and the District of Columbia have laws to protect discrimination based on sexual orientation. A map of these lucky places can be downloaded at thetaskforce.org/reports_and_research/nondiscrimination_laws.
While Tarun Surti's action is abhorrent, it at least brings light to the need for such laws. Feel free to let Mr. Surtri know what an ass he is via the contacts below.
From WOC PhD Blog:
Artee Hotel
760 Old Hickory Blvd.
Brentwood, TN 37027
or
Tarun Surti, Founder
ARTE Center Inc.
1111 Foster Avenue
Nashville, TN 37210
Phone: 615-255-5066
Email: tarunsurti@artecenter.org
As a Nashville citizen I am both embarrassed an appalled by this story. Nashville is a surprisingly progressive city. It’s quite gay friendly as well.
Tarun Surti and his wife Lata are easy to locate on the internet, but unfortunately the only means I could find to contact them (outside of snail mail) was via his hotel.
Please let Tarun how you feel via the hotel email form:
http://artehotels.com/contact.php
Or call the hotel directly at (615) 373-2600
Is Tennessee ever going to climb out of its monkey cave? The hate and homophobia is really making all of you look worse than knuckle dragging Neanderthals. Geeezzz.....grow up people!
"While Tarun Surti's action is abhorrent"
Oh really now. Just exactly what the hell is abhorrent about picking and choosing the right personnel for a management team. If he is more comfortable managing his property with straights rather than gays, I'd say that's his business and no one elses. After all, its his money at stake here.
Granted, he is a mite stupid to deliberately shit in his nest, as he has undeniably done. Unnecessary provocation serves no positive useful purpose. And it'll doubtless cost him. But I'll defend to the death his right to surround himself, in his business, with people of his own preference no matter what.
SamCynic, defense sounds like a thin justification for intolerance to me. Come on now, we should all be better than that. He didn't fire Hill for being lazy, incompetent or for being an asshole. From what I've heard, Hill excelled at his job.
I am working non-stop to try to bring this to light in the gay community, and to have as negative an impact on all of Mr. Surti's businesses that I can legally.
Too Bad with a name like Turun Surti, and in a southern state like Tennessee you would think that he would have an appreciation for what discrimination feels like and how it impacts his day to day life.
Typical of someone with an opinion like SamCynic: he cannot spell!
With Tarun's attitude, he may very well surround himself with people of his choosing, and I hope they all end up becoming back-stabbing opportunists and clean him out.
