Safeway Employee fired for uttering anti-gay slur

A Safeway employee at a D.C. retail location in the Southwest area of the city has been fired for directing homosexual slurs at a same-sex couple last week.

NBC Washington reports that Jason Morgan and Brendan Harrington, Southwest residents and regular Safeway customers, were at the checkout counter when a cashier used an offensive slur twice when referring to the couple.

Morgan said that he and his partner responded with disbelief, and noted that the cashier seemed unapologetic for using the hurtful reference. When the couple asked to speak with the store’s manager, Morgan said the request was ignored. Ultimately, the couple elected to leave their groceries at the counter and leave the premises.

The incident reportedly incited anger amongst LGBT supporters in the Southwest community, nearly prompting customer boycotts on Thursday. However, Safeway officials avoided the boycott, albeit barely, by announcing that the employee in question had been fired.

In response to public outrage, Safeway Eastern Division President Steven Neibergall wrote, “We have reached out to the customers involved to extend our sincere apology.” He explained that the company was “shocked and appalled” by the employee’s behavior, and said that he found the comment to be personally offensive.

Ward 6 Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner Andrew Litsky, who was on site following the incident, demanded that Safeway take immediate action to ensure that employees are fully aware of the city’s human rights law.

According to reports, the store said it was taking corrective action to make certain every employee understands the store’s anti-discrimination policy.

NBC Washington has confirmed that Morgan and Harrington have now filed a complaint with Southwest’s Office of Human Rights, and reports that the couple is now shopping elsewhere.