Starbucks barista fired after she wouldn’t wear ‘PRIDE’ shirt, New Jersey lawsuit says

A Starbucks barista was fired illegally after she wouldn’t wear a PRIDE shirt, a New Jersey lawsuit says.

Betsy Fresse accuses the Glen Ridge store location of violating her religious freedom when it terminated her for violating the company’s “core values,” according to the federal lawsuit filed Thursday.

A spokesperson for Starbucks told Reuters the lawsuit has not merit.

“Starbucks aims to create a warm and welcoming environment for partners and customers,” the spokesman told Reuters. “Other than our green apron, no part of our dress code requires partners to wear any approved items that they have not personally selected.”

But Fresse’s lawsuit says she was fired shortly after seeing a box of the company’s PRIDE shirts in a manager’s office and telling the supervisor that she wouldn’t be wearing the apparel. In the lawsuit, Fresse describes herself as a Christian who believes marriage is intended to be between a man and woman only and that any sexual activity outside of that kind of marriage goes against her understanding of the Bible.

“Mrs. Fresse, while she holds no enmity toward individuals who ascribe to the LGBTQ lifestyle and/or make up the LGBTQ community, believes that being made to wear a PRIDE t-shirt as a condition of employment would be tantamount to forced speech and inaccurately show her advocacy of a lifestyle in direct contradiction to her religious beliefs,” the lawsuit says.

A copy of the Starbucks’ notice of separation was included with the lawsuit and says “upon being handed her PRIDE t-shirt, Betsy stated she did not want to wear a PRIDE t-shirt and that partners ‘need Jesus.’”

This story was originally published November 20, 2020 at 3:48 PM.