Lara Odoffin’s Job Offer Revoked Due To Braids

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A young Black woman, Bournemouth University graduate Lara Odoffin, was offered a job, then was surprised after she learned that the job was no longer available to her if she would not remove her braids.

She took to facebook to vent her frustration. she also posted a picture of the email she had received from the company, which read: “Unfortunately we cannot accept braids – it is simply part of the uniform and grooming requirements we get from our clients. If you are unable to take them out I unfortunately won’t be able to offer you any work.”

Lara Odoffin

Both of her posts, went viral, attracted a support from others.

Laura writes: “So after being accepted for a position within this company, they have TAKEN BACK the offer of a position on the grounds that if I do not take my braids out. Naturally I simply cannot work for the company.”

“This type of discrimination should not still be happening in this day and age and any establishment still condoning such practices deserve to be shamed and criticised.”

“Being a black woman means that to have a long term hairstyle that stays neat is always going to be a problem. Having braids that last for 2-4 months and can be packed neatly and styled to however a workplace requires is the solution to this problem. No workplace has any right to forbid you from this.”

“This is discrimination and I am disgusted that I had to be subject to such behaviour in this 21st century. Please share. It is not okay.”

Ms Odofil, then updated those asking questions about her experience.

“I thought i’d post a status to save time answering questions.

Firstly I’d like to say thank you to everyone for the support. What I intended to be a vent of my feelings towards the company and maybe be shared a couple of times has exploded and touched/angered a lot of people in way I genuinely could never have imagined.

I am not currently naming the company (as much as i’d like to right now out of indignation and anger) because I do not intend to destroy someones livelihood and business, and I don’t really want a lawsuit on my hands either… however it does not deter from the fact now that I have chanced upon an opportunity to correct blatant ignorance and discrimination, and it is a fact that I certainly will keep going until it is put to rest. If it does result in me having no choice but to completely expose the company, I have no problem in doing so.

This policy needs to be eradicated completely, there is no room for such rules in this day and age- across any sector. More than anything it just made me upset. I had the right experience, they were happy to have me… it was just about my hair. Kind of silly really. I will be speaking to a lawyer about this tomorrow and will be contacting the company. As I have now learnt social media is a very powerful thing and I would not want to misuse it!

Again, thank you very much for the surprising but amazing level of support, I will keep you posted.

It has really made a difference so please do keep sharing! xxx”

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