Texas workers employed at a fast-food restaurant franchise might sympathize with a former McDonald’s employee who has sued the company after she claimed she faced sexual harassment and discrimination while working there. The lawsuit was filed against a franchise located in Redford, Michigan.
The employee, a transgender woman, said she worked at the franchise full-time from April to August 2015. During her time there, she claimed that she was called a “boy-slash-girl” and was not allowed to use the franchise’s normal bathrooms. She also claimed that her genitals were groped. She said that, after talking to her manager about the abuse, she was taken off the schedule and eventually fired.
The former employee was seeking damages for lost wages and emotional pain in addition to loss of self-esteem. A spokesperson for McDonald’s said that the company was committed to fair treatment for all employees working at their restaurants and that discrimination of any kind was not consistent with the company’s values. However, the company could not comment on the particular matter due to the fact that the lawsuit involves a franchise.
Discrimination in the workplace affects both employees and the business. If an employee experiences aggressive or constant sexual harassment or discrimination, his or her work performance and productivity may suffer. If the owner fails to correct the situation and then terminates an employee as a result, an employee rights attorney may file a lawsuit against the company seeking appropriate compensation for the losses that have been incurred. This could include back pay and possible reinstatement.
Source: The Huffington Post, “Trans Employee Sues McDonald’s For ‘Extreme Sexual Harassment,’ Discrimination“, Curtis Wong, June 17, 2017
