A federal jury has recently rejected a transgender employee’s claim that she was discriminated against in her employment. The employee, Megan Kerr claimed that after she told her employer that she was transitioning, she was illegally fired.
In 2016, the EEOC filed a lawsuit against Ms. Kerr’s former employer Rent-A-Center East, Inc. alleging that the company illegally discharged Ms. Kerr. See U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission v. Rent-A-Center East, 16-cv-02222. According to the allegations in the complaint, Ms. Kerr’s supervisors discriminated against Ms. Kerr on the basis of her sex and adversely affected her work conditions.
In defending against this claim, Rent-A-Center claimed that Ms. Kerr asked her supervisor to use a company truck to deliver furniture, and although her request was granted, Ms. Kerr improperly used the vehicle to move her own personal belongings. Pursuant to Rent-A-Center’s policy, Rent-A-Center decided to terminate Ms. Kerr based on her personal use of company property.
At trial, the jury rejected Kerr’s claims of discrimination and found that her transgender status was not a motivating factor in Rent-A-Center’s decision to terminate her employment.
The attorneys at Tristan & Cervantes have assisted clients in navigating employment related issues and have successfully represented employers in numerous discrimination cases. Please feel free to contact our office regarding allegations of discrimination or issues related to workplace policies and training at 312.345.9200 or info@tristanlegal.com.
