The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has ruled that Home Depot violated an employee’s rights by firing them after they refused to remove “BLM” from their work apron.
The employee had handwritten the acronym for Black Lives Matter on the apron.
Fox Business reports:
The board determined that the employee’s refusal to take “BLM” off their apron was “concerted” because it was a “logical outgrowth” of prior protests alleging racial discrimination in the workplace.
Several other employees at the same location also had the acronym on their work aprons in an attempt to make Home Depot managers aware of complaints about discrimination, according to the board.
The board claimed that the writing fell under “for mutual aid or protection” because they claimed to be raising an issue with their working conditions.
“It is well-established that workers have the right to join together to improve their working conditions — including by protesting racial discrimination in the workplace,” NLRB Chairman Lauren McFerran said in a press release. “It is equally clear that an employee who acts individually to support a group protest regarding a workplace issue remains protected under the law.”
Home Depot said in a statement to Fox Business, “We disagree with the NLRB’s decision. The Home Depot is fully committed to diversity and respect for all people. We don’t tolerate any kind of workplace harassment or discrimination.”
The report noted that “The NLRB alleged in 2021 that Home Depot ‘selectively and disparately’ enforced its dress code to target Black Lives Matter imagery.”