Starbucks investigating report of gay LI worker's departure

Starbucks Coffee Co. said Wednesday that it was investigating a complaint that a supervisor at its Centereach store berated a gay employee and forced him to resign.

The comments being investigated were made during "a management meeting" that was taking place in the public cafeteria of the store on Middle County Road, said Starbucks spokesman Alan Hilowitz. He said it was a mistake for the meeting to be conducted in a public area.

An East Hampton woman said Wednesday that she overheard a supervisor criticize the employee last Sunday.

Missy Alison, 34, posted her version of the incident on her blog. She said that she spoke with Starbucks officials about what happened. "It's not like they're trying to sweep this under the rug," she said.

Hilowitz said Starbucks did not doubt Alison's version of events "but what she heard or thought she heard might not have been what was said."

Michael Nardo, a Mineola attorney who is representing the man that Alison said was forced to resign, said his client was meeting with a district supervisor and the store manager in the public cafeteria area last Sunday.

The company began its investigation before the allegations became public, Hilowitz said, adding the company has a progressive record on human rights issues.

Starbucks said on its Twitter account that, it was "investigating and will be as transparent as we legally can be."

The company said it would not disclose the results of any disciplinary steps that it might take.

"As this is a personnel matter, it is our policy not to provide such details regarding these steps," the company said on its website.