Burger King Kazakhstan fires foreign managers amid scandal

Tengrinews.kz – Burger King Kazakhstan has fired two foreign managers amid a scandal involving a worker with autism and accusations of inappropriate remarks and disrespectful behavior towards employees.
The fast-food chain published an official statement on social media, announcing the dismissal of two managers following an internal investigation.

"As part of the management decisions, territorial managers Sergey and Anastasia are no longer employees of the company. Burger King Kazakhstan categorically rejects any forms of discrimination, disrespect, or statements that could insult the dignity of the citizens of the Republic of Kazakhstan," the post said.

The company also added that the internal investigation is ongoing.

"The investigation into the circumstances of this situation is continuing. We are conducting a further analysis of internal processes and interactions within the team to ensure objectivity and thoroughness in considering all facts. Burger King Kazakhstan adheres to the principles of inclusivity and equal opportunities when hiring and working with employees," the company stated.

Despite the statement, many Kazakhstanis continue to express outrage in the comments under the post. Some are calling for more substantial changes, including replacing foreign managers with local Kazakhs. Others suggest that the company introduce regular anonymous surveys among employees to assess leadership quality and ensure no discrimination.
Earlier, the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of Kazakhstan reported that the situation with the Burger King employee is under control. The ministry also mentioned that a service investigation is being conducted, and one of the managers was temporarily suspended during the review.
The controversy was triggered by a post on the social media platform Threads, where Zhanat Karatay shared the story of her son, an employee at one of Burger King's restaurants. She claimed that her son had worked steadily for four years, receiving pay, enjoying his job, and feeling included in the team. However, after a regional management change, the situation deteriorated. Karatay alleged her son was being pressured to resign and that conversations with the new manager were unhelpful.
Initially, the official Burger King account referred to the employee as a former worker and expressed regret that the situation had caused emotional distress to the family. However, the company later issued a statement confirming that the employee had not been dismissed and was still employed. They explained that he had notified HR about taking a leave of absence on January 29, but had stopped showing up for work without submitting an official leave request.
On February 6, the employee’s mother submitted a resignation letter on his behalf, and the company offered to transfer him to another restaurant as part of resolving the situation. An internal investigation was also launched.