When workplace gender discrimination affects the conditions and terms of a person’s employment in Indiana, it is unlawful. One man in another state recently claimed that the grocery store for which he worked engaged in gender discrimination against him. He has since filed a lawsuit against the company.
The man said he was forced to leave his job due to discrimination involving his gender identity. He said he was born a female anatomically, but he identified as a male; therefore, he acted and dressed like a man. However, the grocery store allegedly harassed him repeatedly about conforming to the identity of a female. Supervisors are said to have constantly told him to alter his hairstyle, and they did not allow him to use his desired name on his work name tag.
The man said the grocery store even forced him to don a woman’s uniform. He said that is when he felt he had to quit. He claimed that he would have still been working for the business had it not been for the discrimination he experienced. As part of his suit, in which he would like the grocery store to be held accountable for its alleged discriminatory acts, the man is seeking for the store to be banned from discriminating or harassing employees because of gender identity.
The man, in his claim, is seeking damages for emotional distress and pain. He is also pursing damages for suffering, back pay, lawsuit costs, humiliation and punitive damages. Punitive damages may be awarded in cases of egregious fault. Any employee in Indiana who has suffered from gender discrimination has the right to seek justice through the state’s civil court system.
Source: pennrecord.com, “Man sues Giant Food Stores claiming it refused to acknowledge his gender identity and was forced to quit“, Kari Valence, Nov. 18, 2015
