Chaptzem Blog!      

B&H Photo Video, the famously well-stocked, reasonably-priced, and knowledgeable-staffed midtown store, employs a large number of orthodox Jews on the floor and in management, but plaintiffs in a lawsuit say they're not so good about hiring and promoting women. Naskinsha Cushnie and three other female job-seekers claim discrimination. Cushnie says she was told she couldn't move from cashier to sales clerk because Jewish law forbids it...

The ladies' lawyer, Richard Ancowitz, cites not only civil but religious law: "I have consulted with leading authorities, and it is quite clear that there are no tenets of Jewish law that require the sales force to be male-only."

B&H strongly denies the charges ("B&H has a policy of not discriminating against employees and applicants"). In 2007 the retailer settled a discrimination suit brought by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, alleging underpayment and underpromotion of Hispanic employees, for $4.3 million.

http://blogs.villagevoice.com/runninscared/archives/2009/11/bh_photo_sued_f.php