Tiffany's Allegedly Pushed Out Employee With Cancer Mutation

Luxury jewelry retailer Tiffany & Co. is in hot water. A former employee says the jewelry maker pushed her out after she had her breasts and ovaries removed to avoid getting cancer, according to a Business of Fashion report. Lisa O'Rourke alleges in a federal lawsuit that Tiffany & Co. discriminated against her because she carries a genetic mutation that put her at high risk for developing cancer, and she was compelled to have surgeries that her lawyer says were life-saving. Tiffany is fighting the lawsuit, saying O'Rourke's claim is "completely without merit."

Total Retail's Take: Tiffany's has been in the news a lot recently — and not for the right reasons. The retailer's declining sales and the recent resignation of CEO Frederic Cumenal have to make shareholders feel uneasy. The luxury retailer has also invested in celebrity endorsements, including its first ever Super Bowl commercial, in an effort to lift dwindling sales.