A transgender man filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, claiming wrongful termination against his former employer, IXL Learning Inc. The suit claims employment discrimination occurred after he asserted his protected status following a leave for gender confirmation surgery. The complaint also names another individual at the company who allegedly violated the Family and Medical Leave Act and discriminated against the man.
The complaint, filed Jan. 6, claims that the man’s employer failed to accommodate his post-surgery medical needs. It also alleges unlawful termination of employment following on the defendants’ discovery that the medical leave taken was to have surgery for gender confirmation. The suit also used an online review left by the plaintiff complaining of discrimination.
The plaintiff is seeking trial by jury. He requests judgment against the defendants, as well as front and back pay, benefits, compensatory and liquidated damages and interest. He additionally wants enough money to cover all attorney fees and court costs as well as further relief as the court sees fit.
Anyone in California who believes they may have suffered from employment discrimination might benefit from a consultation with a lawyer. Whether or not the employee has a protected status, if he or she has been wrongfully terminated or discriminated against based on sexual orientation, gender, disability or race, there may be grounds for a lawsuit against the employer. An attorney with experience in employment law can offer insight into the situation and advise an individual on how best to proceed in pursuing legal compensation against the company itself and any individuals at the company who were involved in the discrimination.
Source: norcalrecord.com, “Transgender man alleges he was wrongfully terminated by IXL Learning“, Jenie Mallari-Torres, Jan. 23, 2017