Florida hotel fires worker for wearing US flag pin
Hotel front-desk supervisor Sean May on Thursday was fired from an historic St. Augustine, Fla., hotel for wearing a lapel pin, which breaks the hotel"s "personal appearance" rules that bans the wearing badges and pins, Jacksonville TV station News4Jax.com reports.
But May wasn"t wearing just any pin: It"s an American flag pin, which is why the Casa Monica Hotel"s move is sparking controversy in quaint St. Augustine, Fla.
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Tonight"s story on News4Jax.com follows the station"s Thursday interview with May, 26, during which he describes being given a choice by his employer: Take the pin off and stay at work, or keep it on and leave the hotel. He chose to keep the pin on, as he"d done for two years.
"I"ve actually gotten more comments about it than any of the service I"ve actually done at the hotel," May told the Jacksonville station. "They"re so upset about a little pin, yet I come to work every day and flying over the hotel is a giant American flag."
Casa Monica responds
In an email to News4Jax.com, the hotel says:
"The Casa Monica Hotel located in St. Augustine, Florida, is an American-based, homegrown historic hotel," the email reads. "The property reflects its pride in America and great patriotism by flying the Stars and Stripes high over the hotel. The American flag greets every guest and employee with its symbolism of our belief in this great country."
"However, our employee handbook clearly states, "No other buttons, badges, pins or insignias of any kind are permitted to be worn." No matter an individual"s national preference, political views or religious affiliation, it is a standard regulation which ensures equality for all Grand Performers (employees)."
The hotel is part of Marriott"s Autograph Collection, which i