Manager fires bartender after she refuses to serve pregnant woman.
When this woman is annoyed with one of the employees at her bar, she asks Reddit:
'AITA for getting a bartender fired for not serving a pregnant woman?'
I (23) F, bartend on the weekends for some side cash. A few weeks ago, a woman came into our bar. She looked probably about 7/8 months. For context, I’m one of the head bartenders.
I was minding my own business training a new hire around 4 or 5pm. One of the other bartenders, Annie (19 F) came up to me to talk about a ridiculous customer she had.
That customer being the pregnant woman. She wanted a glass of red wine, and Annie refused to serve her and suggested we asked her to leave. I looked at her like she had two heads. Even if someone LOOKS pregnant, you still have to serve them or that can be a discrimination lawsuit waiting to happen.
As much as I DIDNT like it, I got her the glass of wine and minded my two cents. I went back to training our new hire when Annie saw the woman with glass of wine, she asked if we could talk in the back and of course I obliged.
She went on a rant how I was a “baby killer”, I was a terrible person, etc. At this point the other staff members saw this going on, and most minded their business, and a few of the girls told her to cut it out.
I told her whether we like it or not, someone needed to serve the woman. I sure as hell wasn’t putting my ass on the line for a lawsuit over a glass of wine. Plus, i didn’t know the woman’s medical history, and it sure as hell wasn’t any of my business.
I left it at that. Over the next two weeks Annie went on a tirade about how I was a terrible person, was going to hell, was a baby killer, etc. Eventually I got fed up and reported her to the GM. This situation along with her frequent call-offs and bad attitude got her fired.
I feel bad, but I had a job to do, and I feel like her rants were unnecessary. AITA?
Let's find out.
cara1088 writes:
NTA. She may not even be pregnant some women have bloating in the belly that makes them look pregnant. Also doctors say that ONE glass of wine a week is permitted for pregnant women so if she was pregnant there is really nothing wrong with her ordering that glass of wine and the other girl completely overreacted.
It would not kill the baby at all especially since doctors say that it is okay to have wine. It wasn't hard alcohol and it wasn't multiple drinks her reaction to you was completely over the top.
usedsituation writes:
Anyway you look at it refusing to serve her is ridiculous. She very likely isn't pregnant, I know several women who look pregnant and aren't. If she is pregnant one glass of wine is ok.
Most importantly though if she is pregnant and drinking enough to cause harm to the baby refusing to serve her makes no difference. I purchased a ridiculous amount of alcohol for the family Christmas party 8 months pregnant and no one said a word to me. There is absolutely no benefit that comes with refusing service.
emilyinfini writes:
The way I've heard it explained is that there is no amount of alcohol that has been proven universally safe to consume during pregnancy, so doctors play it safe and say no alcohol is allowed at all.
However, if you are a reasonably intelligent person and you wish to have a very moderate amount of alcohol during your pregnancy (ESPECIALLY in the 3rd trimester) it probably isn't going to do any harm to the fetus. It becomes a problem when an expectant mother consumes alcohol frequently and not in moderation.(That's what my OB explained to me, but I am not a doctor, so follow your own doctor's advice.)