US: Ex-employee sues Breitling for anti-gay discrimination
A gay man is suing luxury watchmakers Breitling for discrimination.
Frederick Cargian says he was treated like a second class citizen by the company’s president Thierry Prissert. He claims Mr Prissert gave his duties to another employer, who better fit the definiton of “man’s man” that Mr Prissert preferred in his employees. He also says Mr Prissert not invite him or women employees to exclusive events.
Mr Cargian says he was excluded from workplace conversations because of his sexuality. The lawsuit says: “Prissert would regularly engage in sports talk with the male reps in the office, but never included plaintiff or the female rep. Because plaintiff is gay, he was treated with the same disdain as were the female staff members.”
“Prissert, by his actions, made it clear that he expected stereotypical male behavior. He gave preference to stereotypical straight men with sports backgrounds.”
Mr Cargian says less-experienced colleagues were promoted instead of him, and his salary was unfairly reduced despite being the companies top salesman. He was then eventually fired without cause.
Glenn Grindlinger, a lawyer for the company, told the New York Post that Breitling “doesn’t comment on pending litigation,” but “takes equal-employment opportunity laws very seriously and intends to vigorously defend against the claims.”
