A former employee of Macy’s filed a lawsuit against the company late last month in Los Angeles Superior Court claiming gender discrimination, harassment, retaliation and wrongful termination. The employee claims she was discriminated against because she is transgender.
Jason “Jazz” Araquel, 21, is described by her attorney as a pre-operative male-to-female transgender individual. He says that the managers at the Torrance Macy’s chain where Araquel applied, knew her status when they hired her in 2006 to work in the cosmetics department.
Araquel’s attorney claims that Macy’s allowed her to be humiliated and harassed by other employees and treated her unfairly for the 3-year period she worked there, and ultimately wrongfully terminated her. Macy’s says that they fired her for insubordination and using foul language.
Araquel claims that she was required to do work that was not in the job description and was held to a stricter standard than other employees. She also says that she was repeatedly harassed and humiliated by other employees, including during an incident where she was physically thrown out of the women’s restroom by co-workers.
Araquel claims that she was ultimately fired in retaliation for her many complaints regarding the harassment. She is seeking general and punitive damages as well as compensation for emotional distress, pain and suffering, loss of dignity, legal costs and attorney fees.
Source:
Transgender Employee Sues Macy’s Claiming Discrimination (KTLA)