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Debrahlee Lorenzana
This posting is to take a look at the workplace and dress code's, rule's, etc. And the subject of inspiration for this posting will be Ms. Debrahlee Lorenzana .
There is a whole buffet of opinion's on the internet on this woman .... and many that are really negative as well. But I'm not going to post a schlew of article's on her ... just this brief New York Daily piece , another article here , and this short video below from CBS. Over the last few day's I have read enough, and heard enough to get a fairly good picture, and formed my own opinion on this which I will add a few cent's after the video on this.
I also want to note that I understand dress codes and other rule's of the workplace, and believe that any company has a right to make codes and rules without interference from outside the company .... but I dont see Ms.Lorenzana as in violation of the code, and frankly .... Citi dont either, with the way their talking now, after the fact. I just "buy" Ms. Lorenzana's story a lil more.
DEBRAHLEE LORENZANA PART 2: .... The "Slut's and Nut's" defense ....
PIX News Debrahlee Lorenzana fired for being too sexy at Citibank 6 03 10 ... Thanx to WOMENS RIGHTS NY
First .... let me get some of the criticism out of the way here, because I am one that think's she should pursue this suit against CitiGroup, and go for their throat! There is a crapload of postings/ news all of the sudden about this womans personal life over this, from plastic surgery, breast enhancement work, seductive clothing, to her snickering over this in interviews, to how she is just a "hottie" who is no more than a job slacker and dont do her fair share, a "teaser", etc. The list of course is endless, and of course all the morally righteous have a bitch to pitch over it.
Also Ms. Lorenzana has time and again asked to move and be trained in other area's to advance at CitiGroup, which were delayed or postponed (basically "runaround" BS to me), and to show she was a "team player" .... she stayed in the grunt positions and moved around as she was instructed to, whatever location or else. I also feel that in such an institution, her accent could have possibly played a role in those decisions .... I mean ... she dont have that typical Wall St. yuppie accent that is so popular in this industry as far as customer relations, no one's saying that .... but it was just a thought of mine. There is a code of dress .... she has followed it ... she was then constantly told that because of her "body type" (?) that she may need to "tone down" (WTF?), and dress as perhaps some of the other women do, or is allowed on the job. It also seems regardless of what she wear's ... there is always modifications that need to be made she's told, to the wardrobe choice. I have seen pictures of her work attire, I see "nothing" unprofessional about it .... I think it is very fashionable and proper, I would feel great as an employer to have such an employee that take's time to look their best, because it reflects my business, and if it makes her look attractive .... that is a plus, same applies to male employees as well.
I also hear that her new employer is already also complaining about her talking about her former job and this situation that got her terminated, I understand, however .... what she does in her own time is her business, ya'll knew when you hired her too, perhaps this may come up. They say she's a slacker or incompetent, and according to HR official's of Citi ... that was solely the reason for termination. But I cant help to question whether or not her dressing played a factor .... I mean .... that was totally ignored their saying in determining this? I mean, none of this was some overnight chat and decision, and frankly .... no ....I dont trust what documentation right this minute Citi may be gathering since their ball's are in a vise legally.
There has been complaints that her colleagues are upset and/ or distracted by her dressing, and no matter what she seems to wear ... their never satisfied, I have even heard women complaining that she is just flaunting, teasing, etc, etc. A "pencil skirt"? ... a "turtleneck"? .... being too "fashionable"? .... I mean for Pete's sake man .... what the Hell should she wear? .... a burlap sack? She snickers in interviews? .... what do you expect? .... it probably is uncomfortable having to talk about such silly crap. I was listening to a talk radio show, and many callers called her a "bimbo" because of her smile or whatever else. An establishment like that wont hire a bimbo .... or a person that knows nothing, unless whoever hired her wanted to gawk at her. But I know that Citi must be doing their homework on this, their not dummies ... and they have plenty of money and legal support .... Ms. Lorenzana is going up against a giant. One woman on talk radio said she would be outraged if her husband had to work around a woman that "look's" like her. I would be curious what "look" in a woman would be appropriate for her husband? You have a job to do when your at work, there are 100 things that can distract you, from your cellphone, to your computer, other employees, bad communications, or even a bad weather day .... that's part of the job.
Several years back I recall .... I was working for a huge Fortune 500 company in downtown Dallas area .... running their pre- press (printing/ graphic's) dept for inhouse printing. I kept the presses rolling with job assignment's, and the gal who worked with me in my room handled the phone, invoicing, order's, filing, etc. She was a hard working gal ... you know .... one of them devoted types ... even worried about jobs and orders after work on the way home .... I would always tell her .... "Kim .... just relax ... what we dont get to today will be here tomorrow". But Kim was one of them so called "hotties" too ... actually 6'ft tall, slender attractive built, natural blonde, etc. She was a local fashion model for a short time (local department stores type), and in high school, the captain of the girls basketball team. The talk of this gal just because of her looks in the building was incredible, similar as Ms. Lorenzana ... about the professional attire that was too attractive, many employees never gave it a break. We went to lunch quite a bit, still discussing jobs, and we both loved Tex/Mex food as well .... we actually "dutched" at lunch ... she would pay lunch one day, and I would pay the next, back and forth. Because of all the talk .... we discussed some one day at lunch, concerning all the new rumors that we were "sleeping" together now .... simply because we worked in the same room, went to lunch at the same restaraunte, and had similar tastes and loves of music/ entertainment , we didnt have to have sex, folks just created it in their brains .... but almost everyone at work seemed to think we did (hush- hush birdie talk crap). We decided that day at lunch .... that we didnt give a shit what they think, about that or her wardrobe!
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Another thing you need to consider in all of this is that CitiGroup is in deep financial difficulty so I'm sure they're looking for people to dump. I worked on a job once where most of middle management was sacked as a cost saving measure. They even eliminated my position when they went in house (I was working as a sub contractor)
ReplyDeleteInteresting story, RC. Speaking as a woman, I hope she succeeds. She is quite beautiful and obviously well endowed but that's no reason to be fired. I'm sure the men leered, made a few passes, and because their fragile egos were damaged, complained. I'm equally sure that the women were jealous and vicious as only women can be toward their sisters.
ReplyDeleteI have seen this kind of thing happen many times and not just for trumped up charges. All too often the employee has never received a verbal or written warning about their poor performance before getting a pink slip.
Newspapers are notorious rumor mills. I had the same problem you had with your employee and employees in my department were the worst offenders. Out of a staff of 22 only two were men; I was the wicked boss from the East and only got the position because I screwed my way up. This does happen of course but it was not true in this case - more experience and training got me there. The "ladies" on my staff were about as vicious as a pit full of rattlesnakes.
Howdy Mr.Demeur!
ReplyDeleteI didnt even think of that angle, you could be accurate .... we all know how that game work's. I dont know what Ms.Lorenzana's salary was, let's say roughly $50K (?), because of NYC wage's, living cost, etc., probably in Texas $40K. But that can add up in annual cutback's too, downsizing is popular now, and will stay popular for sometime for various reason's. Yeah .... I know the deal what you went through ... on contracting then elimination after, going inhouse, etc ... that's a popular one as well! This is why also I am strongly for thing's like union's, and employee owned companies ... I am called a socialist or commie for this by a few conservative's locally that I have known for year's even, I had a past record of voting conservative, and never tried to join a union, or felt I needed one, so many that known me for year's are suprised of how I seem to have flip flopped over the last few year's. But they fail to see that the job market, corporate ethic's, and the current global free market is not like it was a quarter century ago. I actually am old enough to recall when you could stay at a company for year's, make a decent living, have great benefit's etc, without being union ... simply by being a productive worker and competitive, it no longer is what it used to be, the American worker has been going into decline little by little over the last quarter century ... I have to adjust if I want to keep my head above water, I dont feel I'm a socialist for wanting to at least have some protection, if I give my all for my job. And am in full support of folk's like Lorenzana.
Thanx Guy .... for your voice here, alway's a treat ......
Morning Greeting's Ms.Leslie!
ReplyDeleteI understand about Guy's lookin at gal's and getting distracted, I'm no different .... I actually once almost crashed my car into a pole driving cause I was watching some gal walking down the street instead of the bloody road (duuuuhhh). But regardless of the distraction stuff of a good lookin worker, the biggest distraction can be just yourself, and drifting off to Lalaland and gawking. I'm not against gawkin at a gal ... it's nature ... but business is business, there's a time and place, you MUST carry a certain amout of discipline, there is plenty of time for fun after work. Alot of folk's just do this crap as a hobby, and should be paying more atencion to what the Hell their getting paid for! And it's also fact that nowaday's the reason you see so many women getting employed, is more of the profit's factor .... many get more bang for the buck hiring women, their more hungry than men now, a man who was making %50K for instance is quick to stand firm on what they think their worth, what they made in the past, and what they expect and wont budge (kind of a "pride" thing) .... a woman who been struggling for year's just to get the same position, in many cases will lower her hiring rate, be more flexible, and work twice as hard to get the same job .... and employer's take advantage of that too.
Your experience on the job is an ole familiar one too .... seen that plenty over the year's as well. I'm one of these folk's that take any job serious, kind of look at my trade as an "art" ... I am primarily concerned with getting the "job done", and working with folk's that contribute to that, we all benefit when it work's that way .... I dont give a rat's ass if my boss is male, female, christian or jew, or what the Hell they do in their free time, if they get the job done ... that's all I care about, because that is also my livelihood as well. I am actually very "free market" as well despite of what some may think. In my opinion as well, Lorenzana is just getting the shaft, and one in million's!
Thanx a bunch for your input and story here Ms.Leslie .... Later