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Men Say Sacramento Doughnut Shop Wouldn't Let Them Apply Because They Were Male

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — Two men who wanted to work at a Sacramento doughnut shop say they were told they didn't fit the bill because they were male, and weren't allowed to fill out an application.

Tryce Walker is about to go into the military, but needed a job until he enlisted.

He says he went to Marie's Donut Shop off of Watt Avenue and asked for an application. He says he was denied on the spot because he was a man.

"She specifically said, 'We don't hire men here, we only hire women,'" Walker said. "It was this uneasiness of being discriminated against openly that was a problem for me.

He wasn't alone. Jay Hernandez says he had a similar encounter there when he tried to apply a couple of months ago.

"I went in and asked for an application. They didn't give me one, and they just told me to come back," Hernandez said.

CBS13 reached out to a labor attorney who explained state and federal laws explicitly say it's illegal to deny anyone employment based on their gender, age, race, and other reasons.

"I know other men that have gone in there, and they don't get jobs either," Hernandez said, "but women they get jobs up in there all the time."

We went into Marie's ourselves and asked the female employee if any men worked there. She told us one of the two owners is male.

Pushing to get answers, we reached out to the owners.

Barbara Weinman told us she's owned Marie's for several years. She did admit to us that only females work at the shop right now, but she says it's because only women apply.

Weinman denied any discrimination against male applicants. She questioned the application allegations, but also apologized on behalf of the employee.

Still, Walker is upset and doesn't want this to happen to anyone else.

People who believe they are victims of discrimination can file a complaint with the Department of Fair Employment or Housing, and that business could face a lawsuit and fines.

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