Waiter fired for aggressive behaviour launches human rights appeal claiming he is not rude, just French

Guillaume Rey says colleagues misinterpreted 'direct, honest and professional' French personality

Souvla, a Greek restaurant in San Francisco, asks diners to scout their own tables and fill their own water glasses (iStock)

A waiter in Canada who was fired for his aggressive and disrespectful behaviour towards his colleagues has claimed he is not rude, he's just French.

Guillaume Rey filed a complaint with British Colombia's Human Rights Tribunal against his former employer and its parent company, CBC News reports.

Mr Rey argued he was discriminated against as his colleagues misinterpreted his "direct, honest and professional" French personality.

He worked as a waiter at a restaurant in Vancouver between October 2016 and August 2017.

His employer, Milestones Restaurant, and its parent company, Cara Operations, attempted to dismiss his complaint, but the tribunal denied the application.

Despite both parties agreeing Mr Rey was good at his job, the restaurant manager said he left a colleague "borderline in tears".

He is said to have received "great feedback from guests" and was "very friendly and professional with his tables," but his attitude towards colleagues was described as "combative and aggressive."

But Mr Rey claims he was "being terminated because of his French culture" which "tends to be more direct and expressive."

“Mr Rey will have to explain what it is about his French heritage that would result in behaviour that people misinterpret as a violation of workplace standards of acceptable conduct,” tribunal member Devyn Consineau wrote in her decision, AFP reported.

The case will be heard at a later date.