Women Sue B & H for Not Hiring Females

28
>>Follow Matzav On Whatsapp!<<

b-hMore women are coming out and accusing B & H, the electronics superstore in Midtown Manhattan, of gender discrimination. Three women joined a lawsuit filed last November in State Supreme Court in the Bronx alleging that they were denied sales positions because they are women. That raises the total number of plaintiffs in the case to seven.

Richard B. Ancowitz, the lawyer for the women, released the following statement: “B & H did not hire these women who were qualified to work in sales, yet they hired numerous males to work in sales with equal to or less experience including several males with criminal records. B & H didn’t care, as long as they weren’t women. Since we filed the suit late last year B & H has hired a few token females in high visibility positions. B & H essentially remains a closed shop – only men need apply.”

The company has denied any wrongdoing.

{NY Times/Noam Amdurski-Matzav.com Newscenter}


28 COMMENTS

  1. STICK TO WHAT YOU THINK IS RIGHT FOR YOU AND FOR YOUR EMPLOYEES….THIS IS A PRIVATELY OWNED BUSINESS AND A DEMOCRATIC COUNTRY…YOU CAN PICK AND CHOOSE WHOMEVER YOU FEEL WILL DO JUSTICE FOR YOUR BUSINESS AND KEEPS THE ATMOSPHERE AS UNPOLLUTED AS POSSIBLE…MEN AND WOMAN IN SUCH A WORKING ENVIRONMENT?…BAD ENOUGH WHEN THEY COME IN AND SHOP THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER MONTHS WITH TOTAL DISREGARD TO THEIR ATTIRE…! SO…KOL HAKOVOD TO YOU B&H. just stick to your principles….in trying to avoid what we know can happen in a mixed environment!!!!!!!!
    GO B&H

  2. America has worked long and hard to establish non discriminatory laws at the workplace. Whether the laws protect race, religion or gender — these are REAL LAWS.

    If a man is approached by a female salesperson, he can say thank you and continue looking for a male salesperson and vice versa.

  3. This lawsuit is outragous! What total nonsense! B&H photo is a private company. What if a man would try to get a job in a shaitel store, dress shop, etc… What about a lady teaching 9th grade gemorah class? Use a bissel sechial. This is total MESIRA!

  4. to comment#3 she must be a real lamdan to say a blatt shiur.if she makes a good chocolate cake, she has accopmlished her job.

  5. “What if a man would try to get a job in a shaitel store, dress shop, etc… What about a lady teaching 9th grade gemorah class?”

    Improper analogy. B&H is NOT a sheitel store, a dress store or a 9th grade classroom. There is a salient difference — the clientele.

    If you have a dress shop where the main clientele are Orthodox women, then you can make the claim that your customers will no longer come to your store with a male tailor. Likewise with a classroom — you can make the case that all the parents would pull their kids out of the classroom. B&H cannot make that claim. For 99% of their customers, it doesn’t matter whether the salesperson is male or female, Jewish or not — and for the 1% for whom it might matter, they can just as easily wait for a male salesperson.

    “YOU CAN PICK AND CHOOSE WHOMEVER YOU FEEL WILL DO JUSTICE FOR YOUR BUSINESS”

    Not if it violates state and/or federal law.

    It never ceases to amaze me how Jews, who should be incredibly thankful for civil rights protections in the workplace (you know… the ones that say that the boss can’t fire you for leaving early on Friday, or taking off Yom Tov, or even for not belonging to his church) are ready to toss those same laws overboard when it comes to protecting others… including their fellow Jews (such as women).

    The Wolf

  6. I would hope the women bringing the suit aren’t frum as they would be pure Mosrim if they are.Even if B+H is guilty, it would be outrageous, that the US government which has laws requiring racist bigotry (affirmative action)and is from the most bigoted of all employers (a white male stands almost no chance of getting a job if competing against less qualified preferred gender/class)would complain.

  7. Everybody is after every ones money. It is an easy way to get rich. Soon Cheders will be sued for not hiring woman in kindergarten and smaller
    grades. I know we are a sociliast country this is quite ridiculous to say the least. People are jealous and lawyers will sue because that is how they make their money. they don’t care on whose
    cheshbon they achieve that one.

  8. I don’t know if you realize but these laws were part of the 1964 Civil Rights Bill which also made it illegal to discriminate against RELIGION.

  9. #1 and 2

    You make me embarrassed with your boorish and ignorant comments.

    There are laws in this country about discrimination.

  10. FOR THE PERSON THAT THINKS I AM IGNORANT, I WILL REITERATE..AND TO MANDY…WE ARE DISCRIMINATED AGAINST…ALWAYS HAVE BEEN, AND ALWAYS WILL BE. WE ARE JEWS AFTER ALL. AND NOBODY REALLY LOVES US OUT THERE. DON’T EVER FORGET THAT.
    SO HERE, WE FINALLY HAVE A HEIMISHE STORE THAT EMPLOYS HUNDREDS OF WORKERS, AND GIVES THEM PARNASAH…YES, MY DEAR…IT IS A DEMOCRATIC COUNTRY AND AS A PRIVATE OWNER OF MY OWN BUSINESS, I HAVE THE RIGHT TO PICK AND CHOOSE WHO I WANT WORKING FOR ME.AND OUR MEN COULD COMPETE WITH THE REST OF THEM, ANY TIME. AND IF I HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HIRE SOMEONE THAT I CAN HELP WITH PARNASAH AND HES UP TO THE TASK, THEN, YES, I HAVE A RIGHT TO HIRE HIM. AND, BORUCH HASHEM, WE HAVE MORE THAN ENOUGH OUT THERE WHO CAN DO THE JOB AS GOOD AS THE NEXT ONE AND, HALEVEI, B&h COULD HIRE MORE OF THEM….HOW MANY ARE SITTING HOME WITHOUT PARNASA AND MOUTHS TO FEED.WHY? WHY CAN’T HE HIRE A HEIMISHE GUY IF HE CAN DO THE JOB? I ASSUME, THESE ARE NOT FRUM PEOPLE WHO ARE SUEING THEM…JUST TO STIR UP SOME EXCITEMENT, AFTER ALL, B&H IS A VERY SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS BH, SO SOMEBODY GOT TO COME AND RUIN IT FOR THEM.
    WELL, AGAIN…IF I GO FOR AN INTERVIEW AND SOMEONE DOESN’T WANT TO HIRE ME….NOTHING I CAN DO ABOUT IT. THE BOSS STILL HAS THE RIGHT TO HIRE HIS COUSIN, NEPHEW, FRIEND….WHOMEVER HE LIKES….IT’S HIS BUSINESS….AND YOU CAN’T SHOW PROOF FOR ANYTHING. HOW COULD YOU FILE A LAWSUIT…WHAT CAN YOU SAY…I CAN DO THE JOB BETTER????? I THINK YOU’RE NOT GETTING WITH THE PROGRAM WHEN YOU SAY HOW WOULD I FEEL IF A PRIVATE BUSINESS DIDN’T HIRE JEWS….WAKE UP…CALL IT WHAT YOU WISH,BUT DISCRIMINATION, IF THAT’S WHAT YOU CHOOSE TO CALL IT, EXIST EVERYWHERE AND ON EVERY LEVEL…!!!!!!!!!!!! I DON’T CALL IT THAT….I CALL IT CHOICE….AND THANK HASHEM, I STILL HAVE A CHANCE IN THIS COUNTRY TO MAKE CHOICES….MAYBE NOT FOR LONG, BASED ON HOW OUR PRESIDENT IS RUNNING THE SHOW…WAIT UNTIL ALL YOUR RIGHTS WILL BE TAKEN AWAY FROM YOU…AND THEN WE’LL TALK….
    FOR NOW. I OPEN A BUSINESS…AND I’M THE BOSS…I CAN HIRE WHATEVER FEELS RIGHT TO ME!!!!I’M PAYING….I DECIDE….THAT’S THE RULE..
    GET WITH IT…..THAT’S THE WAY IT IS!!!!!!
    HURRAH TO B&H….DO WHAT IS RIGHT FOR YOUR BUSINESS…AND KEEP GIVING OUR MEN PARNASAH…HASHEM SHOULD HELP….AND HE WILL IYH!!!!!!

  11. Heimish,

    First of all — please don’t post in all caps. It’s annoying, it’s considered shouting and your point isn’t any truer if you use all caps.

    That being said, as for your point, allow me to say this — the very same laws that protect you and I in the workplace (and they do protect us — your claims notwithstanding) also protect women in the workplace.

    Your idea that you can do whatever you want with your business is just plain wrong. There are all sorts of employment laws that you must abide by. Just because you’re the boss doesn’t mean you can pay a worker below minimum wage — even if he agrees to it. Just because you’re the boss doesn’t mean that you can choose not to pay taxes. And just because you are the boss, that doesn’t mean that you have the right to discriminate on the grounds of race, gender or religion.

    GET WITH IT… THAT’S THE LAW AND THE WAY IT IS!

    The Wolf

  12. “ND KEEP GIVING OUR MEN PARNASAH”

    And, while we’re at it… why do you think our women don’t need parnassah? After all, this case isn’t about discrimination on the grounds of religion – it’s about discrimination on the grounds of gender.

    The Wolf

  13. I think womens rights are being stepped on plain and simple, women if dressed according to a code of dress if thats what you want to initiate well thats fine. But to ban women from working there, even if its only on certain levels well thats against the torah, us women need a parnusuh too, I mean how we supposed to support our husbands in kolel, this whole issue just seems so absurd, initiate a code of dress if you like but to discriminate against women is illegal, much like affirmative action.

  14. i think b&h is 100% doing the right thing, i mean arent we a frum community and usually males and females should be seperated, and if its a frum store where there are frum haimesh men working there.. why should there be females there as their co-workers??

  15. TO #16,17…sorry about the caps…first time commenting.Did not mean to shout.And as far as the whole woman thing…the same choice a mother makes to keep her child out of an office that employes men…to protect her neshama…and that is her choice for the benefit of her child…and not because she is discriminating or hates men…I believe B&H makes decisions based on what they feel is the right thing for most of their employees…who happen to be frum orthodox men…and is not looking to stir up trouble by employing woman.You are mixing up the yoitzros when you claim that they are mandated to pay taxes etc.etc.
    This thing about hiring woman, although I am not privy to their exact reason..my logic dictates that, and that is my own subjective view…that the reason they don’t hire is to avoid trouble that could arise if they were to hire woman…and the boss, being a frum honorable talmid chochom….just wants to keep it simple and uncomplicated.
    Being a boss, entitles him to run his business in a matter that is suitable to the employees he already hired….lest many of them leave with the onslaught of woman in their midst.
    This is a frum, heimishe business, albeit in the center of Manhattan….and I can’t understand why it is so hard for you to comprehend his stategy. I certainly am not sure of the exact reason why this is so, but I have a strong suspicion that this may be part of it…and if this is so….Kol Hakovod..!
    sorry…he has a right to keep his business kosher, if that’s what he has in mind by not hiring woman.
    I’m sorry that you can’t see beyond legalities. We are a holy nation…and as such..we reserve the right to keep it that way.
    It’s all about people who just want to stir up trouble. If this is their principle for so many years and it didn’t bother most people…keep it that way. They have office jobs and other positions for woman.And if it’s a sales job that these woman specifically want…the world is big enough.If they search hard enough, they will find what they are looking for….this is all about making trouble and stirring the pot.Sorry, I beg to differ with you. I don’t see it as a discriminatory act….only a very wise one.
    chag “kosher” someach.

  16. addressing #5
    Besides the business of making money, I’m not quite sure you realize that a Heimishe boss,besides being in the business of making a profit,feels an obligation and an ACHREIYOS as to what goes on in his business….and to his empoyees. And as you said, and we can turn it around, the consumer …and he is there for the consumer…does not care whether he is being helped by a man or woman and therefore having mostly men does not affect the outcome of his business…and even if it did, I have the feeling that he would make the sacrifice for a smaller profit and a kosher place rather than the reverse…I’m sure he has consulted with wiser people than both you and I to make decisions for his business…so let’s keep an open and understanding mind…It’s not that the ownership is discriminating for the sake of prejudice. It is about running a business, that to the best of their ability is steeped in eidelkeit and modesty….if that’s at all possible!Thank you B&H…and hatzlocha raba. May your profits continuously rise!

  17. Heimish,

    Don’t worry about the caps. We were all first-time commentators at one time.

    So, is it also your contention that if you apply for a job at a company and the boss says “sorry, I only hire Baptists.” that he is entitled to reject you out of hand on that basis?

    Or, do you feel that a boss should be allowed to force his worker to come in to the office on Shabbos or else risk being fired?

    The Wolf

  18. Sorry #26….I hear what you are saying. I understand the points you are trying to make regarding the laws against discrimination,etc etc. However, it seems that no matter how I will put it, you will come back with a retort regarding discrimination of this or that sort. If you are a frum jew, and I don’t know who you are…and you don’t get the point I am trying to make, I don’t think explaining any further will make a difference.
    And, yes…frum jews must live by the laws…just in case you are wondering or that was going to be your next question.
    Regardless…now we are before Pesach…and what we really need is the Geula…more than infighting, mesira….and all the things that divide us as a nation and a people.
    May we all be zoicha to greet Moshiach bekorov.
    B&H will be more than happy to join in the simcha…even if they have to shut down!!!!!!
    To all my fellow yidden…a kosher and freilich yom tov….relax and enjoy…WITH SIMCHA AND ACHDUS!!!!!

  19. Heimish,

    You’re missing an important point. It’s not just that “discrimination is bad.” The real point is that these laws protect everyone – including you and me. These laws are the laws that allow both you and I to take days off for the next two weeks for Pesach without fear of losing my job. These laws protect both you and I from a boss firing you solely on the grounds of being Jewish.

    Everyone tells the stories about Shomer Shabbos immigrants in the early 1900s who were moser nefesh to keep Shabbos — to the point where each week they had to find new jobs because they were fired weekly when they didn’t show up to work on Shabbos. We also tell stories of people going to apply for jobs only to find signs that said “Jews need not apply.” Baruch HaShem, we don’t live in that situation anymore. With eternal thanks to HKBH, the situation has changed and we — including you and I — are now protected from that sort of situation. To say that B&H has the right to discriminate against women means that you’re willing to toss all those workplace regulations overboard and go back to the way it was. I don’t believe that you really want that.

    The Wolf

  20. everybody is looking for the easy way out, MONEY, hey these girls were not qualified, who cares, b&h should hire person they deem are qualified, male and/or female, frivolous lawsuit

Leave a Reply to kay Cancel reply

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here