Donald Trump did not allow overweight or “unattractive” women at his National Golf Club in Rancho Palos Verdes, going as far as firing them for their physical appearance, state court records.
Trump did not frequently visit the Club after its inauguration in 2005, but when he did, managers would change the female employees’ schedules so the most “attractive” ones would be present when the Republican candidate was at the club. In 2012, a labor relations lawsuit was filed by former employees against one of Trump’s development businesses in Los Angeles County Superior Court. This lawsuit, while covering a broad range of complaints, also touches the discrimination women would face.
“I had witnessed Donald Trump tell managers many times while he was visiting the club that restaurant hostesses were ‘not pretty enough’ and that they should be fired and replaced with more attractive women,” stated Hayley Strozier, who used to be director of catering at the club in a sworn declaration.
Other employees’ remarks support Strozier words, arguing that Trump enforces a “culture of beauty” in his businesses. According to Sue Kwiatkowski, who worked as a restaurant manager at the club until 2009, Trump would tell him that costumers like “to see good looking people” when they were at clubs or resorts.
The bulk of the lawsuit focused on the lack of benefits for the employees. For example, various former workers stated they were not allowed to take breaks during their eight-hour work shifts. The staff swore they were pressured to eat their meals very quickly, and that the managers would get angry if somebody took a bathroom break. All these incidents, if true, would mean that Trump’s company violated California law.
A bus boy during a sworn declaration said he had started to smoke just to have an excuse to take a break. Another former employee, a valet, claimed: “someone got fired every week.”
Most of the lawsuit was settled three years ago when the club management agreed to pay almost 500,000 dollars to the employees, without admitting any wrongdoing from the company. The part of the lawsuit belonging to women’s discrimination was later settled, and its terms are confidential.
Trump and women
Trump has faced numerous criticism for how he treats women. In different occasions, he has called them “dogs” or “pigs.” During the presidential debate, Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton shed light on a particular incident involving a former Miss Universe, Alicia Machado. The beauty pageant winner put on some weight immediately after winning in 1996, and was constantly berated by Trump, who called her “Miss Piggy” and “Miss Housekeeping.”
The businessman has defended himself by stating he has “great respect for women” and has claimed on numerous occasions how people get surprised by “how nicely” he treats them.
Source: Los Angeles Times