Starbucks barista fired for refusing to wear Pride shirt, NJ lawsuit states

A New Jersey woman named Betsy Freese refused to wear a Starbucks Pride shirt "because her religious beliefs prevented her from doing so," the lawsuit states

Upon entering a meeting with the store manager, Freese saw the box of Starbucks Pride shirts and asked the manager if employees were required to wear them, to which the manager replied with no, according to Freese. The coffee chain fired Freese on Aug. 22, 2019, as "her comportment was not in compliance with Starbucks' core values." 

Freese said that Starbucks' ethics and compliance helpline contacted Freese regarding the issue, to which Freese responded that wearing the shirt would oppose her religious beliefs. Freese filed a lawsuit against Starbucks claiming that her termination was wrongful due to the fact that Freese's manager said that wearing the shirts was not required. 

The suit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey, where Freese resides. The termination notice states that Freese "stated she did not want to wear PRIDE T-shirt and that partners 'need Jesus.'"

Freese's claims are said to be "without merit," according to a Starbucks spokesperson who spoke with NBC News. Freese is seeking back pay with interest, emotional pain and suffering compensation and punitive damages. 

The lawsuit proclaims that the company tried to "exclude and silence Mrs. Freese, whose religious beliefs it deemed undesirable." 

This case is Freese v Starbucks Corp, U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey, No. 20-16567