A Denny’s worker stop on the spot in frustration as a pair of consumers rattled off inaccurate “religious discrimination” legalities on why they do not need to put on masks within the privately owned chain restaurant.
Cellphone video posted to Reddit Tuesday reveals a Denny’s server grabbing her purse, flagging down her supervisor and leaving the restaurant as two males cite the “Civil Rights Act of 1964” as one purpose they do not need to put on masks meant to forestall the unfold of COVID-19. The video recorded by one of many two maskless patrons reveals a dateline from September however was first posted on-line this week. The anti-masker prospects instantly cite a number of “religious exemptions,” which prompts the Denny’s worker to reject this outright by telling them twice, “you’re required to wear a mask.”
But the 2 males, one in every of whom is carrying a shirt that quotes Franklin Battle, founding father of the born-again Christian group, Jesus Christ Ministries, repeatedly accuse her of “discrimination.”
“You know what I quit, I f***ing quit,” the worker says as she throws down the Denny’s menus and begins storming out of the restaurant. “What is wrong with you people?”
Update: A Denny’s spokesperson issued an announcement to Newsweek Tuesday night:
Denny’s is conscious of the state of affairs involving an worker and two friends that refused to put on face coverings at its Franklin Park, IL location. While we perceive that some could really feel that they’re exempt from sure mandates, at Denny’s, the security of our staff and friends is our prime precedence and we’ll at all times abide by all relevant laws and pointers to make sure that precedence is met. This pandemic has hit the restaurant trade and those who work in it significantly arduous, and we ask that those that select to dine out respect the arduous work and resilience of those employees by adhering to public well being pointers in addition to particular person restaurant insurance policies. We look ahead to when these necessities are not mandatory, however till then, will proceed to behave in one of the best curiosity of the well being and welfare of our friends, staff and the communities we serve.
The two males each cite a “religious exemption,” earlier than falsely claiming this permits them to dine contained in the privately owned chain restaurant franchise with out masks. The pissed off Denny’s worker then yells throughout the restaurant at her supervisor as she stands within the doorway. According to the National Law Review, Federal Law Title 2 of the Civil Rights Act, which has been cited by quite a few Christian and non secular teams refusing to put on masks, “does not guarantee your entry into any particular business establishment.”
“Roger, I’m not working for this s**t anymore. These guys won’t put their masks on, I’m sick of feeling like this,” the worker says, as the person recording once more accuses her of “discriminating” towards them. “I’m not discriminating against you.”
“I’m sorry you can’t come in here without a mask, the governor said ‘no mask, no service,'” the supervisor tells the 2 males, repeating the phrases on public well being indicators posted throughout the Denny’s entrance entrance.
“Sir, the Civil Rights Act says we can claim a religious exemption for not wearing a mask, we’re not sick,” the patron tells the supervisor. “OK, then you have lost our business.”
The patron’s authorized declare is flawed, based on a number of legislation evaluations which have printed articles on the subject of “religious discrimination” for the reason that begin of the coronavirus pandemic. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 does handle “discrimination or segregation in [specified] places of public accommodation” based mostly, partly, on “religion,” the September concern of the legislation overview entry notes. “But do the obligations imposed on employers by Title VII mean that customers have the ‘right to shop mask-free?’ The answer is NO.”
Newsweek reached out to Denny’s company workplaces for response Tuesday afternoon however didn’t hear again by the point of publishing. The firm’s web site says, “America’s Diner” is dedicated to sanitation and social distancing. Among the necessities for patrons and staff alike are temperature checks, masks and disposable menus out there upon request. The web site notes that Denny’s staff are required to clean their arms each 20 minutes and should apply alcohol-based sanitizer earlier than and after every new interplay with prospects.
Screenshot: YouTube | Reddit Videos