Racial Profiling At Albertsons? Orange County Woman Files Suit Against Chain

IRVINE, CA — Imagine, checking out at your grocery store in Irvine, reaching for your debit card to pay and being asked by the clerk if you plan on using EBT.

That's food stamps for those not in the know.

That's what happened to Orange County resident Deirdre Harris. The 42-year-old African American woman reacted by filing a civil rights lawsuit against Albertsons and its parent company, Safeway, alleging its managers took no steps to correct or apologize for the actions of an Irvine store checkout clerk but just offered to pay her off instead.

Jenna Watkinson, a spokeswoman for Safeway, told the Orange County Register that company executives have not seen the lawsuit and "do not comment on pending litigation."

Harris said the incident occurred Jan. 27 at the Albertsons at Alton Avenue and Culver Street, according to the register. When asked not just once, but twice if she wanted to used food stamps, Harris stated that she fled demoralized.

An Orange County native who grew up in Huntington Beach, Harris works as a fashion brand consultant and has lived in Irvine for 22 years, the Register reported.

"For me, it was a very clear reminder — a painful reminder -- that we do not live in a post-racial era," Harris said.

Harris stated that she spoke to three supervisors including Ron Foss, a regional manager at Safeway. She said he explained, as other supervisors had before, that the clerk had done nothing wrong and was simply trying to give her free bags, because those using food stamps don't have to pay for reusable plastic bags.

Foss eventually offered her $500 as compensation for her emotional distress, she said, and added: "If I were you, I'd take it."

A follow-up letter sent by a Safeway claims examiner to Harris on March 24 states: "Please be advised that we've completed our investigation and determined there's no liability on the store."

It offered $500 and added:

"Failing to accept the customer service gesture will be construed as a rejection and will result in a formal denial of this claim as there has been no evidence of discrimination or racial profiling."

What do you think? Was this a case of racial profiling? Or overreaction?

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