Deloitte, operating in nearly 150 countries worldwide, provides accounting services to Wegmans Food Markets. Chemes, a tax accountant, did not work directly on the Wegmans account while employed at Deloitte. According to Chemes, Deloitte claims she violated company policy concerning her personal exchanges with the media. Chemes argues that she did not mention Deloitte in her media communications and therefore did not violate the policy.

Before July 2, according to Chemes, Deloitte was well aware that she was an animal advocate and member of a not-for-profit group. “It was pretty well known at work,” she says. On Thursday, July 7, a partner at Deloitte told Chemes that Deloitte and Wegmans were in discussions and that the supermarket chain was upset regarding Chemes’s position at Deloitte. Chemes believes that Wegmans pressured Deloitte to fire her. On Monday, July 11, another partner at Deloitte, and a human resources representative informed Chemes that her employment was to be terminated.

“I am disturbed,” says Chemes, “that I was fired just because I chose to stand up for something I believe in.” Chemes did not participate in the investigations and never visited the Wolcott farm.

“Instead of talking to Compassionate Consumers about what they can do to improve their egg farm,” Chemes says, “Wegmans has instead decided to ruin my career.”