Something doesn’t smell quite right about this story. But be forewarned… it’s NSL (Not Safe for Lunch).
If your boss offered you a new BMW and $30,000 per month to let him/her smell and fondle your feet, how would you react?
Would you:
A) Run screaming from the room?
B) Kick off your shoes and put those little piggies to work?
C) Say “Make it a Porsche and I’ll throw in the ankles for free”?
D) Keep working for the boss for low wages despite his repeated attempts to sniff and rub your feet over his face, then sue when your hours are cut?
It seems that two employees of a Massage Envy franchise would rather sue than un-shoe
Here’s an excerpt from the bizarre report on Courthouse News Service:
SALT LAKE CITY (CN) – Two women who worked at a Massage Envy franchise claim their boss offered them money to smell their feet. One claims that after he “forcefully grabbed” her feet and took off her shoes, he “sniffed them in a lustful manner.” The other woman claims franchise owner John Johnson offered her “up to $30,000 per month” and a BMW if she would let him do it.
* * * * *
[Danielle] Wade claims that Johnson told her “that he wanted her to ‘check-in’ with him and that he would pay her each time. He told her that she would make up to $30,000 per month,” according to the complaint.
The complaint continues: “Mr. Johnson promised Ms. Wade that he would buy her a BMW automobile if she complied with his gestures. Mr. Johnson further told Ms. Wade he would sign a document indicating he would pay her for her the services.”
Wade says she refused. However, she says, Johnson then told her to “come into his office to talk with him. Once in the office, Mr. Johnson proceeded to lie down on the floor and removed Ms. Wade’s boots and said he wanted to massage her feet and smell them. Ms. Wade objected and put her boots back on and left his office. Ms. Wade was in shock, and shaking as she left Mr. Johnson’s office.”
Co-plaintiff Odette Provost’s allegations are more alarming….
“Mr. Johnson then forcefully grabbed Ms. Provost’s feet and proceeded to take off Ms. Provost’s shoes. Ms. Provost objected to the assault, stating that he was ‘weird’ and that her feet stunk.
“Mr. Johnson stated that he enjoyed when her feet stunk and that it just made him more of a slave to her. Mr. Johnson proceeded to rub Ms. Provost’s feet over his face and sniffed them in a lustful manner.
“Ms. Provost was in shock and frightened during the incident and could not run away.
“Mr. Johnson told Ms. Provost ‘not to say anything to anyone.’ Mr. Johnson then wrote Ms. Provost a check for $100. Mr. Johnson did not state what the check was for.
“Ms. Provost felt ashamed, frightened, and humiliated.”
Then, Provost claims, it happened again.
According to the complaint: “Mr. Johnson asked Ms. Provost if she was available for some training in his office.
“Once in the office, they began discussing issues related to the business. Suddenly, Mr. Johnson jumped to the floor, removed Ms. Provost’s shoes, and started sniffing and rubbing her feet over his face.
“Ms. Provost was frightened and told him to stop. Mr. Johnson stopped and left the office. These incidents created a hostile work environment for Ms. Provost as she could not predict when Mr. Johnson would attack her again.”
The complaint continues: “A district manager for Massage Envy Ltd., L.L.C, was informed of the incidents and stated that Mr. John Johnson was a franchisee, and corporate headquarters could not control a franchisee, and he could ‘Do what he wants.’
“Defendants took no disciplinary action against John Johnson or the franchise in response to Ms. Provost’s claims of sexual harassment and battery.
“Ms. Provost was retaliated against through a reduction in pay and hours. Management and certain employees then took a campaign upon themselves to force Ms. Provost to leave her job.”
The women seek punitive damages for gender discrimination, negligent supervision, assault, battery, retaliation, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. They are represented by Kevin Robson with Bertch Robson of Salt Lake City.
WHAT DO YOU THINK? SHARE A COMMENT BELOW.
Tip o’ the hat to Oldsword and BlueMauMaufor spotting this story. Photo credit: EverJean, License: Creative Commons
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View Comments
Wow, that's a very interesting scenario. If I were the employee I would of ran and file a complaint straight away from the gecko. I wonder what causes certain people to have these real odd fetishes. It cannot make for a great working environment I would imagine.
Leslie
All of these people are too wierd for me but Mr. Johnson can smell my feet for $30,000 and I'll even throw in my smelly butt for nothing. LMAO
I love the franchisor response. He can ‘Do what he wants.’ I'm sure the franchisor doesn't think that. And I'm sure other franchisees don't that either - at least, when it comes to something like this. This situation was clearly handled appallingly by the franchisor. As a consequence, I would not be surprised to see some movement on the part of other ME franchisees.
Wow! That is uncalled for! I think something really should be done!
I believe these types of institutues thrive on the desperate therapist to begin with, otherwise wait and find a better paying job, and help to increase your own clients. Then to have a fetishist behave so abhorrantly preying on therapists desperate for work is horrifying. But the real slap in the face is that when "proper procedures" were followed and complaints made to have the district manager react the way he did is just salt in the wound. I think the district manager needs some disciplanary action along with the fetishist, and those women need some councelling to learn to Stand Up for themselves, and to work through their ordeal.
Are you people serious? How is this exploitation? The guy offered to give her $360,000 per year and a brand new BMW just to play with her feet! Sounds like a dream job to me!
Also notice that "“Ms. Provost was in shock and frightened during the incident ... Ms. Provost felt ashamed, frightened, and humiliated.” But then she claims "it happened again."
If it was so terrible, why did she come back to work and get in a room with him? Sorry, but somebody's LYING.
Let's face it, these girls rub strangers' bodies for money. It's not rocket science. If places like Massage Envy didn't book their work and provide them rooms, tables, towels, etc. they'd be sitting home getting fat on ice cream and watching soap operas.
Re: guest on October 9th, 2010 1:54 pm
In at least 36 of the states of the USA, one has to go through an exacting learning process to become a massage therapist and part of the wellness profession. They no more "rub people's bodies for money" than surgeons "stab people with sharp knives". There is a method, a body of knowledge and a science behind it, as well as stringent legal requirements to practice. If they weren't working for the pit that is Massage Envy, they would be most likely striving to create their own business, albeit much more slowly, but actually contributing to the GDP of the USA.
Sweeping generalizations and uninformed nonsense like you posted does a great disservice to a difficult profession and also does nobody any good.
lol, I agree dude can smell my feet anytime,,for 30000 wow dream job
CTMT: I've got nothing against massagers, but please don't compare them to real healthcare professionals like surgeons. Massage therapists get their training in 8 months or so from schools that advertise on the back of matchbooks or on TV during the Jerry Springer show and also offer exciting careers thru truck driver training, snowplowing and knife sharpening.
"If they weren’t working for the pit that is Massage Envy, they would be most likely striving to create their own business..."
Seriously, if they had that ability they'd be running their own massage parlors and never would have gone to work for someone else. Instead of complaining about it, you should save up and buy your own franchise. If the massager in the story had any sense she would have let the guy fondle her feet for a year and she could have afforded her own Massage Envy franchise You could say he would have footed the bill for her new business :)
smells like a predator to me. creepy! I agree with Leslie.