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This is no surprise. A&F is just as bad as they are here in the United States as they are in Britian. It is time we have INTERNATIONAL EMPLOYMENT LOTTERY SYSTEM!! I am trying to push for this sysstem in US. It is to secure everyone to have employment anywhere they want to work. This means A&F (as well as Hooters, etc) MUST accept all kinds of people like me (Deaf and a few extra pounds) and Riam Deam. You go girl! You will be Britian's Finest Lawyer. Maybe she can be your Prime Minister to entact laws against discrimination one day!!

This draft works this way: You want that job when a company announce and then you drop off your card, address, etc and then go to the labor department or employment department with the government then they will have an official to draw names out similar to a BINGO works.

Sarah of London, you can ask Ms. Dean since she is pre-law for help on your case!

I refuse to shop at A&F and other expensive snobby stores because of their attitudes. Really disgusted!

By the way, I am Deaf and I too having hard time!! My father even not helping me at all!! Horrible!

- Mark, Syracuse, NY, USA

Most of the people that have commented on this have no idea of the tribunal process. To get as far as the actual hearing takes a lot of guts and a solid legal case. Companies are full of managers that make stupid judgements and decisions who then hide behind colleagues and process when it all goes wrong. Riam was very brave bringing this to court. You only know how it feel to have to do this if you have been through it yourself. It's very easy to be an 'armchair general'

- Ray, Sheffield

Not buying it, just another opportunity to screw an employer, what was she studying again?

- Npw, Coleraine

BBC news quoted her as claiming that her confidence was damaged. Modelling for the cameras and starting a case for damages seems to hint that this is not true.
Having read about the case, it seems to me that A&F were as accommodating as it is realistically possible for them to be. Good on them, and good luck to them.

- Duncan Peel, Bedford

Just because she is self-conscious about her arm, it doesn't mean that others could care less. If she is going to act like this now, what'll happen next time someone looks at her in anything but a totally supportive, totally PC manner?

Another lawsuit because SHE feels slighted?

- Rogan, Irving

As people seem to be basing their entire arguments on what this one article has said and aren't aware of the actual facts I don't really think they are in a position to criticise Riam. If you read the news properly you would know that Riam was instructed by A&F to wear the cardigan; at no point did she want to wear it. She has to cover the actual join for medical reasons which is presumably why she has an arm warmer on in the pictures in the press, she has nothing to be ashamed of so why shouldn't she have her arm out in pictures? A&F have a ridiculous 'look policy' and it is time someone stood up to them. I wish you all the luck in the world Riam!

- Sally, London, London, England

Abercrombie & Fitch gave her a part-time job (note not full time) and because of her attitude they are given this negative press. What chances of another person with 'needs'getting a job now?

Sorry but IMHO Riam Dean has done more harm than good, hope she feels proud of herself.

- Ge, Kernow (Nation of)

This is a joke. No one was discriminating against her! I worked there and their look policy is very strict, if you're not wearing the right uniform, they wont let you work on the shop floor, it has nothing to do with her fake arm. I wanted to remove an extra layer cuz I was hot and they wouldn't let me. if they were bothered about her arm they wouldn't have employed her in the first place. and if she was so bothered about showing it, then why doesnt she have a problem flaunting it in the newspaper? ridiculous.

- Lollypop, london

Well, all i can say is that if she couldn't stick to the dress code, then they had every right to get her to work elsewhere in the store. Just because she is self conscious about her arm, to the point where she wont remove a cardigan, then why should she be excused from the rules? I'd say it was far from bullying, for starters they, despite their policy on 'good appearance', employed her even with her disability, were lenient with the rules for an amount of time to fit around her, when she refused to abide by the rules and take off the cardigan, she wasn't discriminated against and fired, she was just told that she could work elsewhere in the store. If anything they were very understanding, and with her being so worried about what people thought, I would have thought she would have jumped at the opportunity to work elsewhere where she wouldn't have to deal with being around people. It is quite obvious that her self consciousness didn't occur by working there, as the whole problem rose from her inability to get over her flaws and function as anyone else would, take off the cardigan and get on with her work. Just another person biting the very hand that fed her, and trying to get rich quick by exploiting her own disability. She deserves nothing from them.

- Luke, London

How's she going to cope with the cut-throat world of law if she is so fragile? Anyway, she says that they asked her to go back onto the shopfloor, but she refused.

- Sue R, London

I can't speak for the American branches, but anyone would know better judging by the London store. Topless male models and girls in bikinis as store assistants.... what would you expect when applying for the job? Especially if you've only got one arm. I'm not saying its right or legal, but she should have known what to expect from this particular company. They are notoriously into good looks and her arm was bound to become an issue eventually. Maybe I (while still carrying my baby weight), should apply for a job at A&F in London, subsequently get turned down because of my 2 stone of extra weight, and then sue??

- Jc, London

The manager of the store should be fired immediately.
I thought we had moved forward in this country but it seems that there are still sad people who do not regard disabled people as part of the human race.
The Americans are far tougher on this sort of discrimination than we are so it will be interesting to note the response from the US owners.

- Scotty, Cambridge UK

Law student-hmmm.Wonder if she's just covered litigation at uni.How big a claim will she make?

- Stewart Robertson, Wimbledon

A and F's so called lifestyle brand is a disgrace. Unless you fit their parameters, say exactly the script and so on, then they don;t want you. All to get top dollar for a cheap pair of jeans and a cotton tee shirt from the far east. They are a brand sham.

- James, LondonUK

Perhaps I should sue them for discrimination too because I am too ugly and fat to be hired

- Sarah, London

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