UNC Students Rally Around Fired Alpine Bagel Employee

A long-time employee at a bagel shop on UNC’s campus believes she was unjustly fired from her position.

For eight years, Lezlie Sumpter has been a cashier and manager at Alpine Bagel, a popular stop for breakfast and coffee in the Student Union on UNC’s campus. But after she returned to the area after a week of vacation, she heard some disturbing news from a fellow employee.

“He asked me, he said, ‘Do you know you’re off the schedule for the week?’ And I was like, ‘What do you mean, I’m off the schedule?’” Sumpter said.

Sumpter says she met with Alpine’s manager and company director early the next morning, and they told her she was fired.

“I’m speechless,” Sumpter said remembering the moment she was let go. “There’s nothing I could say or do. I was totally blind-sided.”

Sumpter says her manager explained she was being fired because of negative reports that came back about Sumpter as a result of an audit by Aramark, a third-party company contracted by Carolina Dining Services.

She says her manager showed her a report from Aramark stating Sumpter was wearing jewelry and a watch at the time of the audit. The report also stated Sumpter was chewing gum, which she denies.

Sumpter says she was aware that jewelry was prohibited by Carolina Dining Services. But, she says, she was never singled out for a warning about wearing her hoop earrings before she was fired.

“In eight years, I have never been written up, not one single time for anything—anything—concerning that company,” Sumpter said.

Sumpter is an at-will employee, which means legally, Alpine Bagel can dismiss her at any time, for any reason—or even no reason—as long as she is not fired based on factors protected by federal law, such as her race or gender. Still, Sumpter says she will be seeking legal action, and she’s getting a lot of support from the student community. One student has even started a Go Fund Me page for Sumpter.

“The students have really, really stepped up, and they have gotten me four different lawyers,” Sumpter said.

Sumpter says the UNC group Student Action with Workers is also organizing events on her behalf for when students return in the fall.

UNC Students Rally Around Fired Alpine Bagel Employee

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