VANCOUVER: French Waiter Fired For Rudeness Sues For Discrimination Against His French Culture [VIDEO]

The Guardian reports:

A French waiter fired for being “aggressive, rude and disrespectful” says his behaviour wasn’t out of line – he’s just French. Guillaume Rey, who worked at a Vancouver restaurant on Canada’s Pacific coast, filed a complaint with British Columbia’s Human Rights Tribunal against his former employer, claiming “discrimination against my culture”.

The restaurant, operated by Cara Operations, accused Rey of violating its code of conduct and said he persisted in his behavior despite verbal and written performance reviews. In alleging discrimination Rey said French culture just “tends to be more direct and expressive”.

The Telegraph reports:

Au contraire, his “direct, honest and professional personality” was, he insisted, drummed into him at French hospitality school and he was simply following their guidelines. Grumpiness aside, both parties agreed Mr Rey was good at his job.

The restaurant and its parent company had attempted to brush off the discrimination complain but tribunal member Devyn Cousineau denied that request, meaning it will receive a yet unscheduled hearing. The outcome, however, is still far from certain.

“Mr Rey will have to explain what it is about his French heritage that would result in behaviour that people misinterpret as a violation of workplace standards of acceptable conduct,” she wrote in her decision.