After being fired for refusing to wear high-top Air Jordans, NYC Server Admir Cuturic is now suing Chinese restaurant owner, Naomi Ram, of the Flatiron District’s Jue Lan Club.
Ram reportedly terminated Cuturic, an employee since 2016, after he refused to wear the sneakers, which were made a part of the mandatory employee attire as of late 2019. However, Cuturic says he has supporting text message exchanges showing his reasoning; that being he had an ankle injury stemming from a car accident.
Messages show Ram texted back, “Wear it or don’t come to work. Furthermore cut the bullsh*t. It’s basketball sneakers. Not high heels.”
After further messages, Cuturic sarcastically wrote, “Thank you so much for u understanding my problem,” and Ram ended, “Pick up your things today….don’t ever disrespect me.”
Furthermore, in his suit, Cuturic claims the ankle injury is a protected disability, and is also seeking a class-action for failure to properly distribute tips and pay overtime.
Regarding the 275-seaterclub, Cuturic’s suit details how established it is and some of its faults. He notes, “The Jue Lan Club is a high-end restaurant with an all-star list of regular customers that come to party. The Club is extremely accommodating to these high-end patrons, which include rapper A-Boogie and NBA players Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett, allowing them smoke marijuana in the Club regularly despite servers’ repeated protests about the health risks posed to the staff.”
