HALIFAX – A former Leon’s employee says she was on the receiving end of racially charged comments during her four years at the Dartmouth store.
Garnetta Cromwell alleges that she was targeted because of her race, and that issue is now before a human rights commission.
However, Tammy Bishop, general manager of the Dartmouth Leon’s, says Cromwell never told her that.
On Wednesday night, Bishop testified that Cromwell had performance issues and faced discipline during her employment.
Concerns from missed shifts, attendance issues and lack of commitment to her job were brought up during the inquiry.
However, Cromwell says that they are trying to paint an inaccurate picture.
“They’re trying to say I missed attendance and that I wasn’t treated differently because of my race,” she said. “They’re trying to justify it as to ‘this is the reason why she got it’ but that’s not really the reason why.”
Cromwell claims a reference was made to lynching before her performance review.
She says there were other derogatory comments made during her employment, including being called Condoleezza Rice and “sunshine”, which can be considered offensive in the black community.
But Bishop says that Cromwell never approached her with those issues. She testified she wasn’t aware of them until Cromwell resigned in 2008.
The general manager says Cromwell never sought help from higher-ups at Leon’s and did not mention the lynching comment until her resignation letter.
Cromwell alleges it boils down to poor management. She claims they did not do anything to stop the comments.
“If you know something wrong has been happening and the person it’s actually being done to is not speaking up then they’re supposed to be the ones who actually say something,” she said.
A Leon’s spokesperson declined to respond to the allegations.
Bishop says employees do undergo harassment and discrimination training.
The inquiry has been adjourned until Thursday afternoon and will continue through the end of the week.
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