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Rtiz Carlton Hotel in Naples Florida Via Google Maps
LIVE BLOG

British family demand not to be served by hotel staff 'of colour'

Legal action taken by a waiter is halted by a judge. Waiter says he was told not to serve the family.

A WAITER IN the US has filed a lawsuit after a British family asked not to be served by anyone of colour with an accent.

40 year old Wadner Tranchant worked at the luxury Ritz-Carlton hotel in Naples, Florida. On 12 March 2010 he was told not to serve a British family in the hotel restaurant. The Rodney Morgan family had checked into the hotel on 28 February and had asked not to be served by “people of colour” and anyone with “foreign accents”. The request was allegedly entered into the hotel’s computer system at the request of the manager.

Tranchant filed a lawsuit alleging he was discriminated against, but he and his employer have been ordered by a judge to go to arbitration to resolve the complaint. His lawyer has expressed disappointment that that a jury will not have a say in the matter.

After the lawsuit was filed the Ritz Carlton issued an apology:

The Ritz-Carlton does not tolerate racially offensive comments or discriminatory treatment of our employees, and our data systems are not to be used to allow discriminatory requests by guests.

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