Man Sees Nothing Charming About Charlie

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (CN) - Charming Charlie women's store refused to hire a man though he said he would have no problem with its dress code requiring him to wear six "accessories" to work every day, the man claims in a federal class action.

Courtney Owen sued Charming Charlie for himself and all similarly situated men.

Owen says he applied online for a sales job at a Charming Charlie store in Bessemer, Ala., before the store opened.

Charming Charlie runs a chain of more than 200 stories, according to the complaint. The company is the only defendant.

Owen claims Charming Charlie manager Shannon Wells told him at his Sept. 15, 2012 interview that "she rarely hires males." She told him "that men typically don't like the store's accessories policy."

"Plaintiff told Mgr. Well that he did not have a problem with that requirement," Owen says in the complaint.

"Ms. Wells, however, stated that men typically don't like the company's accessories requirement and usually 'can't do the dress code,' or something to that effect."

She didn't hire him. He filed a discrimination charge with the EEOC on Oct. 4, 2012, "relating Mgr. Wells's comments that 'men typically don't like the company's requirement for employees to wear six to seven "accessories,"'" and received a right-to-sue letter, Owen says.

He seeks class certification, lost wages, a job, a corrective injunction, punitive damages and costs.

He is represented by Jon Goldfarb.

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