Autumn Williams, a 16-year-old African American teen from Concord, North Carolina, who worked at a Chick-fil-A, says she was sent home after a supervisor told her that her blond hair was “unnatural” for her. The experience, which happened back in 2023, she said, left her embarrassed and confused about the company’s policy.
Williams said she wore brownish-blond box braids to work, the same hairstyle she had during orientation two months earlier. At that time, she was told only that her hair should be tied back, which she found reasonable. But on July 13, while working at the front counter, a manager asked to speak with her privately.
According to Williams, the manager said a supervisor had noticed her blond braids and decided the color didn’t meet company standards. She was told to remove the blond from her hair and return once it was gone. The manager added that she could “take her time” and email when she was ready to come back.
“It was very stressful,” Williams told Today. “It made me feel like there was something wrong with me and my appearance.”
Williams called her mother, Nina Burch, to pick her up. When Burch arrived, she asked for an explanation but was only given the supervisor’s number. The supervisor, according to Williams, refused to explain further and told her to check the employee handbook.
Burch shared a screenshot of the restaurant’s grooming policy, which stated that “unnatural hair colors or eccentric styles” were not allowed. She said she understood that rule to mean bright or unnatural colors like pink or blue, not natural shades of blond.
Williams decided to quit her job soon after. But on August 1, the Chick-fil-A store owner reached out, apologized, and invited her to return, saying the policy had been misinterpreted. The company later confirmed that she had not been fired and described the situation as a “learning opportunity” for staff.
Burch says they have filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to explore possible next steps. Williams, however, says she won’t be returning, adding, “No one should tell you what you are based on your appearance.”
SOURCE: blacknews.com