Ann Perkins was recently fired from her position as a nurse at the Pawnee Womens Health Clinic, a boutique health practice specializing in women's health. She was fired by Jeremy Jam, the clinic's owner and a known men's rights advocate. According to Jam, Perkins couldn't work there anymore because she refused to wear makeup and pink or purple scrubs. "We serve female patients, Perkins, you can't work here if you don't look like a nurse for ladies," Jam said to Perkins as he was letting her go.

Perkins had worked at the Clinic for two years. She was successful there, earning the clinic's coveted Employee of the Month award multiple times. She liked helping female patients. It was a good fit.

That was until Perkins began to suffer from financial difficulties. Perkins had eczema and found that if she wasn't able to afford and use her prescribed facial cream then any makeup ultimately exacerbated her eczema and she would have a breakout. In addition, Perkins used to work at the Pawnee Hospital and still owned multiple pairs of scrubs not in pink and purple. After her two years with the clinic some of her pink and purple scrubs were starting to fade and look grey. So she started wearing the other color scrubs she already owned, instead of buying new ones. Her patients didn't seem to notice what she wore and no one complained. Two days after her two year anniversary, Jam visited the clinic and asked out Perkins before she entered the clinic. She refused and at the end of the day, before he left the clinic, Jam fired her.

During her conversation with Jam, Perkins asked if there was anything she could do to stay on. Could she wear her hair differently or lipstick to compensate for not wearing other makeup? Jam said no. Could she transition to a non-patient focused job, such as one in the onsite lab? Nope, none was available. Perkins pointed out that the two male nurses didn't have to wear makeup, but Jam ignored the comment. Jam also deflected the idea that he was firing Perkins because of she refused to go out with him. "This is about your appearance, Perkins, nothing more. Don't make this into something more than it is."

Ann Perkins has come to the firm for help. She thinks her firing was discriminatory.