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
It's just kind of funny how almost every backrubber here keeps repeating that (in some states) they are "licensed professionals."
Want to know who else are "licensed professionals"?
Fortune Tellers.
Beekeepers.
Hair Braiders.
Movie Projectionists.
Pest Control Professionals.
Managers of Housekeeping and Janitorial Workers.
Rental Car Agents.
Vending Machine Repairmen.
Body Piercers.
Tattoo Artists.
Did you know 3 out of 10 US jobs require licenses? Sorry if speaking the truth is "rude" but you all have bought into this elevated BS image massage schools push. Believe me, they tell their watch repair students licensing makes them elite, too.
Witness the unearned arrogance of CMA saying that demeaning massagers is just like demeaning surgeons. Note that she didn't say "calling MTs backrubbers is like saying Beekeepers just keep bees" or "The Orkin man just kills bugs." or "projectionists just show movies."
I'm not trying to hurt your feelings, but, Sorry, you're not doctors. You're not nurses. Once you face that fact you'll be happier with your job at Maggage Envy or Mr. Massage and appreciate the owners who put their money on the line in order to give you a job and backs to rub.
Actually we ARE taught all of the aspects of running a business, its required in every state that massage is regulated. Have you ever made a business plan without the help of a CPA or atourney, or prepared your own business taxes? I have, and marketing is our bread and butter, and our work speaks louder than billboards, maybe if you visited reputable therapists you would see more than a stack of business cards. If I sat around waiting for someone to feed me clients I would be homeless.
Guest
SHUT THE HELL UP,
At least these people are trying and not out on the street selling drugs, or on welfare collecting your tax money, and buying crack or dope with it ,,you loser!
by the way GUEST, want to smell my feet for say 10000 a month? hahahaha
"Guest"
The fact that you continue to argue your claim that we are not doctors/nurses/etc, just goes to show that you are not listening to what we're saying. None of us are claiming to be doctors or replacements for doctors.
You compare our licensing with that of Pest Control and Tattoo Artists, but the fact remains the same... You can't practice that trade unless you are trained and licensed. Did you forget to realize that there's training involved in all those licenses as well? Can someone legally do those jobs without a license?
I'm conceding the argument to your ignorance. Your word is obviously finite and true, as you fail to look at any other view other than your own.
I'm done feeding the troll. I suggest others do the same, as their views will never change.
For people who profess to be experts in "wellness," you all sure seem to have a lot of pent up frustration & hostility. I take it I'm not the first one you've encountered lately who doesn't take you all as seriously as you take yourselves. Get that a lot, do you?
Isn't there a scented candle you can light or a splenius you can rub to calm yourselves before you get to the point of calling those who disagree with you "losers" or saying "at least MTs aren't on welfare or buying crack"?
No, hahahaha, I wasn't the one offering to pay for foot action. That was the highly professional, thoroughly screened and professionally licensed "Massage & Bodyworks Therapist" that passed all the stringent requirements of the state of Utah. See the story above about the highly professional, licensed Bodyworks Therapist employees who are obviously making false claims against their Massage Envy franchise owner so they can embarrass and extort money from him.
If you all want to play like you're on par with doctors and lawyers, why don't you petition to remove the licenses of the two extortionist chicks in the story for launching a bogus, frivolous lawsuit? Even masseuses who've been inhaling patchouli all day can see through these scammers' story. And if they were doctors making outlandish claims in order to blackmail a legitimate firm for money, they'd have to answer to an ethics board.
Remember ethics? According to Restored State, your Kinko's-produced Massage textbook dedicated several pages to it. Yet you're all silent when it comes to obvious transgressions by two of your own noble licensed colleagues.
Funny how that works. Some people want respect, but aren't willing to earn it. How sad.
"Prejudices are what fools use for reason."- Voltaire
An LMP:
What do the morons who pay you to stab them with knitting needles or burn red circles on their backs to release "toxins" and evil spirits from their bodies call reason?
Thanks for the link to your crazytown website. it proves my point. What're your October specials? 10% off bloodletting? Buy one leeching, get one free?
Great blog. Love the pus references: http://www.nwpainrelief.com/acupuncture-and-cupping/
How many of you would pay the Wicked Witch of the Northwest here to burn red circles on your back to "treat arthritic symptoms, asthma, the common cold, chronic cough, and muscle pain and tightness." and to precipitate "the removal of pathogens" Can I get my magic beans to go?
You self-important people tolerate quackery & pseudoscience like acupuncture and fire cupping from your fellow "Bodyworks Therapists," you let them take money from the dimwitted pincushions by making unsubstantiated claims and sleight of hand, then you WONDER why you have an IMAGE problem and people don't take "wellness professionals" seriously!
Hmmm... got awfully quiet here all of a sudden...
You are clearly an internet troll, Guest. You have no balls to post your name let alone your own website to show what you do.
Being called a troll by a charlatan and snake oil salesperson really hurts.
Don't worry, whatever I do can't be worse than placing magic heated cups on people's backs to rid them of imaginary evil toxins. All you rid them of is the available credit on their debit cards. People who sell fake hope and magical solutions belong in jail.
To the Troll, a.k.a. "Guest" who has decided to not share his profession for discussion...
Seems that you have taken this discussion way off topic. Let me restate my point, we're not merely backrubbers that should be grateful for our clinic managers sexual harassment. We have a valuble role of helping people and should be treated with respect.
Also, you seem to be blending your impression of acupuncture and massage which only further displays your ignorance of our work. I'm not an acupuncturist so I can't speak to the methods the Chinese and other East Asian peoples have been using to restore, promote and maintain good health for about 2,500 years. However, I can speak to my profession of massage therapy which has been used for over 4,000 years.
Since you appear to be out of the loop on current research by calling me a "Snake Oil Salesman" and a "Charleton", I thought I'd give you some research to read so you can catch up.
Clinical massage and modified Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation with latent myofascial trigger points. http://dld.bz/uNUJ
Chronic spinal cord injury pain: pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments and treatment effectiveness http://dld.bz/uNXQ
Back massage therapy promotes psychological relaxation and an increase in salivary chromogranin http://dld.bz/uNUg
Chair Massage for Treating Anxiety in Patients Withdrawing from Psychoactive Drugs. http://dld.bz/uNTc
Study of the Effects of a Single Session of Swedish Massage on Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal and Immune Function http://dld.bz/uNSE
Clinical trial to evaluate 15 myofascial therapy treatments using ischemic compression on shoulder trigger points http://dld.bz/quR9
Massage therapy for fibromyalgia symptoms http://dld.bz/nMtd
Effect of massage therapy on pain, anxiety, and tension after cardiac surgery: a randomized study http://dld.bz/nMsS
Treatment effects of massage therapy in depressed people: a meta-analysis http://dld.bz/nMrA
Effects of precompetition massage on the kinematic parameters of 20-m sprint performance http://dld.bz/nMq5
Results of patient information and of a therapeutic exercise program in the treatment of plantar fasciitis http://dld.bz/nMqn
Effect of manual therapy on masseter muscle pain and spasm http://dld.bz/nMpj
Perceived benefit of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) for back pain: a national survey http://dld.bz/nMnb
Itching, pain, and anxiety levels are reduced with massage therapy in burned adolescents http://dld.bz/nMmF
Massage therapy in the workplace: reducing employee strain and blood pressure. http://dld.bz/nMj2
Short-duration massage at the hamstrings musculotendinous junction induces greater range of motion http://dld.bz/nMhv
Manual lymphatic drainage: exploring the history and evidence base http://dld.bz/nMgm
Massage: a helping hand for people with chronic oedema and lymphoedema http://dld.bz/nMfJ
Physiological responses to touch massage in healthy volunteers http://dld.bz/nMdM
Effectiveness of foot and hand massage in postcesarean pain control in a group of Turkish pregnant women http://dld.bz/nMdw
Efficacy of Massage Therapy in Chronic Pain: A Pragmatic Randomized Trial http://dld.bz/bYcv
Randomized trial of therapeutic massage for chronic neck pain http://dld.bz/gPYk
Myofascial trigger points in children with tension-type headache: a new diagnostic and therapeutic option http://dld.bz/gPXQ
Troll, don't tell me that our methods are unproven when you're talking to someone who really helps people every day, works in research, and owns (and markets) my own practice.