Rose Marie Counts: Woman whose ex broke her teeth is FIRED for violating company's 'smiling policy'
CIRCLEVILLE, OHIO: A woman who experienced domestic abuse and lost her front teeth after being headbutted on the mouth by her ex-husband, was fired from a chain of convenience stores for violating the establishment's "smile policy." After a month of employment, Rose Marie Counts was called into the manager's office for violating the corporate rule that prohibits "obvious missing, broken, or badly discolored teeth."
In order to correct her smile and have a good denture fitting, she needs to wait for the swelling to go down and that may take up to nine months. Rose was told that she would no longer be permitted to work for the company as the Pennsylvania-based company, which operates at about 650 locations, has a peculiar hiring policy that states: "Applicants with obvious missing, broken, or badly discolored teeth (unrelated to a disability) are not qualified for employment with Sheetz."
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Rose Marie Counts shares shocking conversation with her company
On her Facebook page, Rose expresses her devastation at being wrongly fired from her job. "I was asked to come to the office at work. I was nervous having only been with the company for about a month. When I walked into the office the manager had the company policy pulled up to talk about employee appearances. I was informed that policy states all Sheetz employees must have and remain with a perfect beautiful warm welcoming smile. If you are an employee with this company and you break a tooth you have 90 days to have it fixed," Counts wrote online.
Counts then learned she would no longer be able to work for the company in a devastating conversation that was secretly videotaped and shared on social media. The meeting begins with her manager seeming to understand Counts' situation. She had recently received a new set of top front teeth and was about to begin the painful and drawn-out process of receiving new bottom teeth, as reported by Daily Mail.
"I know you said you were going to get some work done," the manager said, to which Counts explained, "I had my top ones done and my appointment for my bottom ones is later this month. My insurance will not pay for me to have temporary teeth so it will be three months for the swelling to go down and then they'll make them which can take up to six month." "So nine months total?' the manager replies, showing signs of exasperation. "So if you can, and I appreciate you being understanding..."
'It's not a company I want to be associated with'
Rose says on Facebook that she had no top teeth when she started her employment and that she already had preparations in place for her bottom teeth, but that her insurance will not cover the cost of a temporary denture while her new teeth are being fashioned. "I was hired this way," Counts responds. "I feel like I will seek other employment because if my job performance is not enough and it's based on part of my looks it's not a company I want to be associated with".
"This company has no idea what I've been through. I lost my front teeth because my ex-husband head-butted me because I forgot to turn the hall light out. So it's not like I was a drug user and things happened that way. It was legit", she continues. "But I feel like my job performance alone should be enough. I don't feel like I should have to justify myself because of my looks. I am not a materialistic person. I am very nice to the customers."