Officeworks has apologised after a pro-Palestine staff member refused to serve a customer at a store in south-east Melbourne.
The man had wanted a page from The Australian Jewish News newspaper laminated at the Officeworks in Elsternwick.
But, in a video circulating online, the woman behind the counter was seen handing him back the page, saying she was pro-Palestine.
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“That’s okay. You’re here to do a job of laminating, not take political -,” the man was heard saying.
“We have the right to deny jobs,” she said.
The woman was questioned about the company’s policy, to which she said: “That’s my position … I’m not comfortable proceeding with it.”
Officeworks managing director Sarah Hunter said the matter was taken very seriously.
“We apologised to the customer at the time, and I take this opportunity to repeat our apology to him and extend it to the broader community for the hurt and upset the incident has caused,” she said.
An internal investigation found the incident was not due to malice but ignorance.
The staff member received a final warning, additional training, relocation to a different store and was required to visit the Melbourne Holocaust Museum.
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Hunter said the measures were “appropriate given the youth, inexperience and clear remorse of the team member”.
“The impact on the team member was profound and their remorse was deep and genuine,” she said.
Hunter reiterated her disappointment, saying the incident went against company values.
“We are clear that there is no place for discrimination, intolerance or racism in our team,” she said.
“We strive to maintain the safety and dignity of our team members, suppliers and customers and invest in significant resources to educate our team on our expectations of appropriate and respectful conduct to all.
“Team members are educated to understand that their actions have consequences as this is essential to drive change and promote understanding.”
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