Fired For Underwire
By: Blayne Alexander, WXIA
Updated: March 2, 2012
For eight months, Vashawn Dennis has sorted mail with Staffmark, a contract company with UPS.
And for eight months, she said, whenever she came to work, she would set off the metal detector.
Dennis claims it's because of the underwire in the bra she wears.
Two weeks ago, Dennis said she was told she wouldn't be allowed to continually wear clothes that set off the metal detector.
"I was told by my supervisor after I went through the metal detector that I couldn't wear my underwire bras to work," she said. "I told her that's the only kind of bra I could wear because of the support. I need that support."
"It was either 'change your bra, or you don't have a job'," Dennis said.
Susan Rosenberg, a spokeswoman with UPS, said Dennis has not been terminated and, to her knowledge, she does not have a history of setting off the metal detectors.
"We require our employees to go through security screening without incident," Rosenberg said. "To our knowledge, we have not had issues with underwire garments going off in the past, but would encourage her to wear a different undergarment to work."
Rosenberg added, this does not threaten Dennis's ability to work at the UPS facility and the incident is under investigation.
Thursday, StaffMark reached out to Dennis and offered to send her to another facility to work.
Dennis, however, said she has no interest in returning to the company and plans on taking legal action.
"If I'm not causing a security threat, then what's the problem?" she said. "They're telling us what kind of bras to wear. That's not fair to any woman."
And for eight months, she said, whenever she came to work, she would set off the metal detector.
Dennis claims it's because of the underwire in the bra she wears.
Two weeks ago, Dennis said she was told she wouldn't be allowed to continually wear clothes that set off the metal detector.
"I was told by my supervisor after I went through the metal detector that I couldn't wear my underwire bras to work," she said. "I told her that's the only kind of bra I could wear because of the support. I need that support."
"It was either 'change your bra, or you don't have a job'," Dennis said.
Susan Rosenberg, a spokeswoman with UPS, said Dennis has not been terminated and, to her knowledge, she does not have a history of setting off the metal detectors.
"We require our employees to go through security screening without incident," Rosenberg said. "To our knowledge, we have not had issues with underwire garments going off in the past, but would encourage her to wear a different undergarment to work."
Rosenberg added, this does not threaten Dennis's ability to work at the UPS facility and the incident is under investigation.
Thursday, StaffMark reached out to Dennis and offered to send her to another facility to work.
Dennis, however, said she has no interest in returning to the company and plans on taking legal action.
"If I'm not causing a security threat, then what's the problem?" she said. "They're telling us what kind of bras to wear. That's not fair to any woman."
