It's Official

My wife saw the GM yesterday. He told her she doesn't smile enough at her present job to fill the open room service position which, somehow, just closed due to the "poor economy." But, he said, if she practices to the point where she can smile all the time and not look like she's concentrating on her job (even when she has to concentrate), maybe she can work room service someday.

She served two week's notice of her resignation immediately afterward.

My wife is Thai. Thais are renowned, and rightfully so, for their smiles, and my wife smiles as much as anybody on and off the job. But it's difficult to impossible to smile constantly when carrying heavy trays or trying to get multiple orders straight. Nobody else does it either.

She was an outstanding employee. She would have been outstanding at room service. And if she had been Caucasian with her record of outstanding service, I don't think her smile or her look of concentration would have been the least bit of an issue. I believe that there is a consistent pattern of discrimination going on at that hotel, and I wonder if anything might be done about it.