jtimm: Any updates? I really wouldn't take a corporate representative of the company on their word based on a comment here. Investigative journalism would really be appreciated on this. There's been multiple reports of this, not just this one. 

Make sure to look behind you when backpedaling that fast.

You're right. I'd like to take back what I said and I am going to do more research to obtain accurate information about this issue, suspending my judgment for now. I want to look into this issue in a more diplomatic fashion than my 2-am-rant, and I encourage anyone else who is concerned about this issue to make sure to find reliable information on it. If my previous comment could be deleted for the time being, I would do that.

Actually, the original Gawker post on the issue is inaccurate.

In the past, employees in the stores had a tremendous amount of freedom of dress. They could wear whatever they wanted, as long as it was from AA. It recently became apparent that the brand was not being represented properly and so the dress code was tightened. A handful of employees are disgruntled that the rules have been tightened and want to retaliate.

Job security is taken very seriously at American Apparel. No one has been fired over a photo. But, by controlling what the employees are wearing, we can boost sales and protect the security of the manufacturing workers.

Jonathan, please feel free to email/call me to discuss your issues with the company. I'd be more than happy to take your complaints, but as far as I can see, you haven't contacted HR, the head of retail, or even the district managers in your area about your concerns.

Out of the thousands of employees that work for American Apparel, one disgruntled employee sends a erroneous "tip" to Gawker and it's taken as truth. Nobody checked their facts, or spoke to anyone on the defending side. Then, the story is regurgitated with the same disregard for journalism.

I am amazed that even with the myriad bad things they have to say about American Apparel, Gothamist is littered with their ads.

Though I am equally amazed that American Apparel continues to advertise on Gothamist.

I work at American Apparel unfortunately. What you're saying in this post doesn't even grasp the magnitude of the company's dehumanizing policies and actions. He hasn't "made us send in a group photograph," this is a new procedure called the "Class photo." He is cracking down on the way employees look. Store managers are not "encouraged" to fire employees; corporate representatives visit the stores and fire them on the spot. The managers who know the employees personally have no say in the matter. I'd be happy to talk to you more about this because I have serious issues with the company's ethics -- especially when you compare them to the way the company tries to present itself as "progressive" and "ethical."

I wish him the very same wonderful outcome as Gianni Versace. And it couldn't come too soon.

HE'S firing people for not being attractive enough? He looks like a fucking muppet.

Pot, I'd like to introduce you to kettle.

This guy is one of the world's biggest scumbags. In fact, I'm surprised this even makes anybody's radar after some of the things he does. He's been accused of sexual harassment more times than you have fingers.

For fucks sake, he masturbated in front of a reporter that was interviewing him.

Need I say more?

maybe he should genetically engineer all of his employees?

btw, excellent photo choice, gothamist.

If that's the case, he needs to resign stat.

Charney is beauty profiling!