Compton man launches lawsuit against In-N-Out alleging discrimination over hairstyle
A Compton man is suing In-N-Out burger for racial discrimination, after he was allegedly pulled up multiple times, and eventually fired, over his hairstyle.
Elijah Obeng, 21, who is Black, claims that he was unfairly targeted by managers at the store who singled him out over the required employee dress code – which resulted in severe emotional distress.
In-N-Out requires its employees to wear company-issued hats with their hair tucked in, and male employees must be clean-shaven, according to a civil lawsuit obtained by the Los Angeles Times.
The outlet reports, per the suit, that Obeng worked at the Compton In-N-Out location for just under four years.
As his hair grew longer, Obeng was told by management that he should change the style so that it would remain under the company issued hat. Obeng braided his hair to comply with the request, but was later told to cut off his sideburns.
He considered the sideburns important to his cultural identity, according to the lawsuit.
After resisting the instructions to shave his sideburns and change his hair, Obeng alleges that he was treated differently – including being criticized more frequently and held to standards his coworkers were not. He was also denied opportunities for promotions, according to the suit.
In May 2024, Obeng felt he had been 'publicly humiliated' after a supervisor told him to go home to shave his sideburns in front of other coworkers – which he did not do.
According to the suit, Obeng texted his supervisor that he would return for his next shift, and a few days later he was fired.
In-N-Out said the firing was due to prior write-ups, but Obeng believes that it was a retaliation for his refusal to adhere to the dress code policies, the filing states. The alleged discrimination has caused Obeng 'anxiety, humiliation, and loss of dignity,' the Times reports.
In addition, the lawsuit claims that by asking Obeng to cut his hair, In-N-Out has violated the CROWN Act (Creating a Respectful and Open Workplace for Natural Hair). The California law stops employers from discriminating on the basis of an employee's hairstyle or hair texture.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
4 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Amazon makes major change to Prime Day for 2025
Amazon 's fan-favorite Prime Day sales event will be expanding to four days from two following last year's success. The company announced today that its annual Prime Day deals are scheduled to run from July 8 through July 11. 'With an extended 4-day event, our Prime members will have more time and flexibility to conveniently shop, while enjoying exclusive deals and incredible savings,' an Amazon spokesperson told Amazon's Prime Day extension comes after the rise of inflation and growing fears of recession due to tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump. Amazon's CEO Andy Jassy warned shoppers of tariffs potentially rising prices, which, according senior vice president of strategy and insights at Cordial Rob Garf, could affect product availability. It is also in close competition with Walmart, both in the process of exploring the possibility of creating their own currency. Other sales competitors include Target and ByeDance's TikTok Shop. Amazon racked in $14.2 billion in revenue from US shoppers during last year's summer Prime Day event, an 11.8 percent increase compared to its 2023 results. The event, which is expected to be successful, will also be a way to lure shoppers into early spending on back-to-school and back-to-college merchandise. 'Prime Day is now a key date in the retail calendar and is seen positively by a lot of consumers who use it to snag bargains and deals. With people even more conscious about prices and nervous about the impact of tariffs, this year's Prime Day should be big,' retail expert Neil Saunders from GlobalData told 'This is one of the reasons Amazon has extended the event to 4 days – to allow people more time to get the things they want in a considered fashion.' Saunders added that customers also focus on household goods and school items, categories where shoppers 'appreciate savings.' Launched in July 2015, Amazon threw its first annual Prime Day event to celebrate its 20th anniversary in nine countries. It became an instant success, leading to the e-commerce empires decision to begin celebrating Prime Day in October as well. Besides popular products, the online retailer is looking to entire younger shoppers to sign up for its Prime subscription service. The company is doing so by offering discounted memberships and other perks for people ages 18 to 24. Memberships for this streaming platform usually cost $14.99 per month or $139 per year. Walmart rolled out massive deals to compete with Amazon Prime Day last year full of Walmart+ Week offers. This year, Walmart held it early, and while the retailer did not announce the event earnings, some of it went toward its first quarter 165.61 billion revenue. Target went head to head with Amazon last year through its 'Target Circle Week.' However, the retailer changed it up by hosting the event in March, coinciding with Amazon's Big Spring Sale. Best Buy is turning up the heat by hosting a weeklong 'Black Friday in July' special. Unlike the other retailers, this week long celebration will run from July 7th to the 13th, directly overlapping Prime Day.
Daily Mail
16 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Kim Zolciak's money woes revealed: Housewives star owes more than $1.8 million in taxes and fees
Kim Zolciak may need to borrow more money from daughter Ariana Biermann as she owes more than $1 million in taxes and other fees, can exclusively reveal. The Bravo star's series of unfortunate events have multiplied after the 47-year-old and her husband Kroy Biermann, 39, were evicted from their home in April by U.S. Marshalls - which they had been renting since it was sold in January for $2.75 million. The Real Housewives of Atlanta alum has already had her house taken away from her, and now, she's accumulated a shocking amount of debt and owes people, including her attorneys, and credit card companies nearly two million dollars in total. The total amount she currently owes is $1,800,451, according to various court filings and tax liens. However, the number could be higher due to accrued interest and other late fees. The amount that Kim, as well as the former Atlanta Falcons defensive lineman, owe to the government is $1,147,834.67, which has yet to be paid off. A federal tax lien was filed against them in April 2023 for owing: $714,143.90 for their 2018 taxes, $330,126.29 for their 2017 taxes, and $103,564.48 for their 2013 taxes (bringing the total to over $1.1 million). The Biermanns were issued a state tax lien for $15,104.72 in March 2023. The lien, filed in Georgia, shows that they have yet to pay this off and that the current payout amount is $17,610.40. The payoff amount is valid through July 7, and then it could increase. In addition, a statutory lien was filed in August 2024 against Kim and Kroy for unpaid assessments of $7,972 on their former marital home. The total amount will include 'late fees, statutory interest, the cost of collection including reasonable attorney's fees actually incurred and such other amounts that may come due and owing,' per the filing. This also has not been paid off to date. The Biermanns also owe Simmons Bank $226,836.22 plus additional costs after a default judgment was ordered by a judge in October 2023. However, as of October 2024, a FIFA filing - obtained by - was issued since they failed to pay the principal amount of $226,836.22, plus foreclosure fees of $2,071.57, attorney fees of $1,945.31, interest of $178.51 and court costs of $322, totaling $231,353.61. In February 2024, another lien was filed against Kim specifically for not paying attorney fees of $33,191.65 in her divorce against Kroy. The lien was filed by attorney David Beaudry of Meriwether & Tharp. According to the filing, the total amount is 'expected to increase, plus interest.' reached out to Beaudry for comment. The reality star's attorney's fees are piling up. She also owes another attorney, Rachel Snider - now with the law firm Snider & Snider Family Law - an estimated $143,950.91 for her divorce from Kroy. An attorney's lien was filed by Snider on three separate occasions in 2024: once on May 15 for $11,788.00, then on May 31 for $77,019.91 and another on October 25 for $55,143.00. These three liens will increase since the court filings state that there will be 'accrued and accruing interest at the rate of 18 percent per annum.' The attorney's liens filed by Snider have yet to be paid off. has reached out to her for comment. Kim still owes money to Target/TD Bank after a default judgment was entered in March 2024. Following the judgment, the court ordered A Writ of Fieri Facias, meaning the sheriff may seize her assets. She owes, per the judgment, a total of $2,661.09 for the principal amount, court cost and post judgment interest. Separately, Kim has been involved in a legal battle with American Express since 2018. In September 2021, Amex filed an affidavit of continuing garnishment against the star after she failed to pay the default judgment of $215,847.68, plus $29 for court costs (bringing the total owed to the credit card company $215,876.68). They have yet to receive this chunk of money, court records show. Kim's daughter Brielle Biermann was also sued by Amex in August 2023, but a month later, the claim was voluntarily dismissed by Amex without prejudice. has reached out to reps for Kim Zolciak and Kroy Biermann for comment. Kim, herself, accumulated more credit card debt in the past, but can reveal that these have been dismissed in court. She was sued by JP Morgan Chase Bank in December 2023 for owing $4,624.02. However, as of March 2024, this case has been dismissed without prejudice 'for failure to prosecute,' meaning JP Morgan did not appear at a peremptory hearing and did not move forward in filing motions in the case. Kim was also embroiled in a legal battle against Saks/Capital One. They filed a complaint in August 2023, claiming the TV personality hasn't paid the principal sum of $156,080.64. However, it was later dismissed without prejudice in February 2024 after months of inactivity and no response from the housewife. In another complaint, filed by Bank of America, the filing showed she owed the credit card company $56,224.07. However, this case was also dismissed in April 2024 after Bank of America 'had not perfected service by the date of the no-service hearing.' Earlier this month, Kim's daughter Ariana revealed in the premiere episode of Bravo's new reality show, Next Gen NYC, that her mom and stepfather spent all of her hard-earned money. The 23-year-old influencer revealed she started making significant income from brand deals and sponsored social media posts as early as age 14 - but alleges her parents wiped it out. 'I was doing like three posts a week and you get paid astronomical [sic] to do a story or to do an Instagram post, and I made quite a bit of money,' she said. 'But, unfortunately, my parents took my money.' The couple filed to end their nearly 12-year marriage in May 2023. They've been embroiled in a nasty legal battle since, making public their disputes over their Georgia mansion, police calls, custody of their four minor children - Kroy Jagger 'KJ', Kash, Kaia, and Kane - and financial support. Kroy previously accused Kim of gambling away $1.5 million, according to court documents. He alleged that his ex blew through more than $600,000 on luxury shopping sprees over a seven-year span as she frequented high-end retailers like Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue and Chanel. Amid her financial woes, the Don't Be Tardy star has been selling some of her used Balenciaga and Prada handbags. Over the past two years, the blonde bombshell has been slowly getting rid of some of her prized designer items as well as those that have belonged to Brielle and her husband Kroy. Kim and Kroy have since called off their divorce. In February 2025, they filed a joint dismissal to voluntary dismiss their divorces against each other - he filed a complaint for divorce in August 2023 and she filed a counterclaim in October 2023.
The Independent
17 minutes ago
- The Independent
Toy company challenges Trump's tariffs before the Supreme Court in long shot bid for quick decision
An Illinois toy company challenged President Donald Trump's tariffs in front of the Supreme Court on Tuesday in a long shot bid to press the justices to quickly decide whether they are legal. Learning Resources Inc. filed an appeal asking the Supreme Court to take up the case soon rather than let it continue to play out in lower courts. The company argues the Republican president illegally imposed tariffs under an emergency powers law rather than getting approval from Congress. While the company won an early victory in a lower court, the order is on hold as an appeals court considers a similar ruling putting a broader block on Trump's tariffs. The appeals court has allowed Trump to continue collecting tariffs under the emergency powers law ahead of arguments set for late July. The company argued in court documents the case can't wait that long, 'in light of the tariffs' massive impact on virtually every business and consumer across the Nation, and the unremitting whiplash caused by the unfettered tariffing power the President claims.' The Supreme Court is typically reluctant to take up cases before appeals courts have decided them, lowering the odds that the justices will agree to hear it as quickly as the company is asking. Still, Learning Resources CEO Rick Woldenberg said tariffs and uncertainty are taking a major toll now. He's looking ahead to the back-to-school and holiday seasons, when the company usually makes most of its sales for the year. 'All the people that are raising their prices are doing it with a sense of dread,' Woldenberg told The Associated Press. But, 'we do not have a choice. We absolutely do not have a choice.' The company's attorneys suggested the court could hear arguments in late summer or early fall. The Trump administration has defended the tariffs by arguing that the emergency powers law gives the president the authority to regulate imports during national emergencies and that the country's longtime trade deficit qualifies as a national emergency. Trump has framed tariffs as a tool to lure factories back to America, raise money for the Treasury Department and strike more favorable trade agreements with other countries. Woldenberg said he's putting 'enormous resources' into shifting his company's supply base but the process is time-consuming and uncertain. 'I think that our case raises uniquely important questions that this administration won't accept unless the Supreme Court rules on them,' he said. Based in Vernon Hills, Illinois, the family-owned company's products include the Pretend & Play Calculator Cash Register for $43.99 and Botley the Coding Robot for $57.99.
