Tweet
BY CHRIS SOMMERFELDT , ASHLEY LEWIS , STEPHEN REX BROWN
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Published:
Updated: Thursday, June 4, 2015, 11:38 AM
Wednesday, June 3, 2015, 1:51 PM
The "shop-and-frisk" mentality has infected management and security staff at CVS pharmacies throughout the city, a new lawsuit charges.
Four “market investigators” charged with stopping shoplifters at the chain said they were urged to racially profile customers while also being harassed themselves because of their race.
The store investigators were “directed to follow utterly despicable and racist directives. Specifically, they were repeatedly instructed to intentionally target and racially profile black and Hispanic shoppers,” documents filed in Manhattan Federal Court read.
The lawsuit seeks class-action status for employees.
“It made me feel horrible. It was uncomfortable, overwhelming,” said Lacole Simpson, 32, who is one of the plaintiffs.
“I never thought I would ever have to go through that for the company.”
The ringleaders of the racism were Anthony Salvatore and Abdul Selene, regional loss managers in Manhattan and Queens, respectively, documents claim.
“These black people are always the ones that are the thieves,” Salvatore allegedly said.
He dispatched investigators to stores based on racist beliefs that “Lots of Hispanic people steal there” or “There are a lot of crack heads that are usually stealing at that store,” papers claim.
The investigators, who are either black or Hispanic, also had to answer to racist store managers while spying on potential thieves, they say.
Sheree Steele, Kerth Polock, Lacole Simpson and Delbert Sorhaindo say they were told to racially profile CVS customers while working as store investigators.
“This black guy is taking all of my shampoo,” one manager of a CVS at 300 Park Ave. South allegedly said.
Michelle Lucas, 32, told the Daily News she hadn’t felt discriminated against while shopping at the Flatiron District location — but did recall getting a bad vibe from pharmacy staff there a year ago.
“I got this feeling like I didn’t belong. I felt unwelcome,” said Lucas, who works in the area.
After complaining to management about the toxic atmosphere, three of the four investigators — who had roughly four years on the job — were fired this year, papers claim. Steele said she wasn’t allo××××wed to return to work after taking an approved leave. They seek damages to be determined at trial.
“Nobody should have to go to work and be instructed to carry out discriminatory conduct — and be subject to discriminatory conduct,” said their lawyer, David Gottlieb, of the firm Wigdor LLP.
CVS spokeswoman Carolyn Castel said said the company “has firm nondiscrimination policies that it rigorously enforces. We serve all communities, and we do not tolerate any policy or practice that discriminates against any group. We are shocked by the allegations in this complaint and we intend to defend against them vigorously.”
The lawsuit is reminiscent of the shop-and-frisk controversy that enveloped Barneys and Macy’s in 2013. Both paid fines and pledged to implement policies to prevent racial profiling.
A suit stemming from the Barneys incident is ongoing.
[email protected]
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Published:
Updated: Thursday, June 4, 2015, 11:38 AM
Wednesday, June 3, 2015, 1:51 PM
The "shop-and-frisk" mentality has infected management and security staff at CVS pharmacies throughout the city, a new lawsuit charges.
Four “market investigators” charged with stopping shoplifters at the chain said they were urged to racially profile customers while also being harassed themselves because of their race.
The store investigators were “directed to follow utterly despicable and racist directives. Specifically, they were repeatedly instructed to intentionally target and racially profile black and Hispanic shoppers,” documents filed in Manhattan Federal Court read.
The lawsuit seeks class-action status for employees.
“It made me feel horrible. It was uncomfortable, overwhelming,” said Lacole Simpson, 32, who is one of the plaintiffs.
“I never thought I would ever have to go through that for the company.”
The ringleaders of the racism were Anthony Salvatore and Abdul Selene, regional loss managers in Manhattan and Queens, respectively, documents claim.
“These black people are always the ones that are the thieves,” Salvatore allegedly said.
He dispatched investigators to stores based on racist beliefs that “Lots of Hispanic people steal there” or “There are a lot of crack heads that are usually stealing at that store,” papers claim.
The investigators, who are either black or Hispanic, also had to answer to racist store managers while spying on potential thieves, they say.
GREGG VIGLIOTTI FOR NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Sheree Steele, Kerth Polock, Lacole Simpson and Delbert Sorhaindo say they were told to racially profile CVS customers while working as store investigators.
“This black guy is taking all of my shampoo,” one manager of a CVS at 300 Park Ave. South allegedly said.
Michelle Lucas, 32, told the Daily News she hadn’t felt discriminated against while shopping at the Flatiron District location — but did recall getting a bad vibe from pharmacy staff there a year ago.
“I got this feeling like I didn’t belong. I felt unwelcome,” said Lucas, who works in the area.
After complaining to management about the toxic atmosphere, three of the four investigators — who had roughly four years on the job — were fired this year, papers claim. Steele said she wasn’t allo××××wed to return to work after taking an approved leave. They seek damages to be determined at trial.
“Nobody should have to go to work and be instructed to carry out discriminatory conduct — and be subject to discriminatory conduct,” said their lawyer, David Gottlieb, of the firm Wigdor LLP.
CVS spokeswoman Carolyn Castel said said the company “has firm nondiscrimination policies that it rigorously enforces. We serve all communities, and we do not tolerate any policy or practice that discriminates against any group. We are shocked by the allegations in this complaint and we intend to defend against them vigorously.”
The lawsuit is reminiscent of the shop-and-frisk controversy that enveloped Barneys and Macy’s in 2013. Both paid fines and pledged to implement policies to prevent racial profiling.
A suit stemming from the Barneys incident is ongoing.
[email protected]
Comment