Discrimination
A female employee has claimed clothing firm Abercrombie & Fitch made her work in the stockroom because her prosthetic arm did not fit the shop's image.
Law student Riam Dean, 22, a former employee at the Savile Row branch in central London who was born with her left forearm missing, is suing for disability discrimination and is seeking up to £20,000 in damages. .
The firm said her portrayal of what happened is "inaccurate". A three-day Employment Tribunal is due to begin.
Ms Dean claims she was handed a guidebook when she joined the company dictating everything from how employees should wear their hair to the length of their fingernails.
She has worn the prosthetic limb since she was a baby and said she never thought to mention it during her interview.
Once she was given the job, she says she was granted special permission to wear a white cardigan to cover her arm.
But after a few days in the firm's flagship London store she was told she was breaking the "Look Policy".
She claims she was sent to the stockroom and asked to work from there until the winter uniform arrived.
Ms Dean has just finished her final exams at London's Queen Mary University.
A spokeswoman for the company told press The company could not discuss the specifics of a pending matter, but can say that Miss Dean's portrayal of what occurred during her employment with Abercrombie & Fitch is inaccurate, adding they regreted that Miss Dean had felt it necessary to bring a claim to the Employment Tribunal.
The same spokesperson reiterated Abercrombie & Fitch execised a strong anti-discrimination and anti-harassment policy, and is committed to providing a supportive and dignified environment for all of its employees."
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