Discrimination is a very serious issue in the workplace that can take many forms. Workers who are being mistreated do not have to tolerate the abuse and have a legal right to file a workplace discrimination claim when the discrimination alleged constitutes a violation of the law. A woman who worked for Home Depot outside of Florida claims that she was mistreated based on several protected status characteristics and has filed a lawsuit in a federal court.
The plaintiff -- who happens to be black -- began working for the company in 2009. During her tenure, she continued to prove herself and worked her way up the ranks, reaching the position of assistant store manager. She alleges that, compared to her white co-workers, she was not given the same treatment.
The woman filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. However, she claims that by filing the claim, she had opened herself up to retaliation from the company. She alleges that she lost her job after she had filed the EEOC claim.
She claims that her firing was deeply rooted in workplace discrimination based on her disability, gender, color and race. The plaintiff maintains that Home Depot retaliated against her because she complained about the disparate treatment to the EEOC. She is seeking to be returned to her former position plus legal fees, damages and lost wages. Additionally, she is seeking injunctive relief so that Home Depot will try to prevent these incidents from occurring going forward by disciplining supervisors if they violate the Texas Labor Code, The Civil Rights Act of 1964 or the Americans with Disabilities Act. Florida workers cannot be treated differently due to a status that is protected by law, and employers who deny these rights are in violation of state and federal laws.
Source: setexasrecord.com, "Pearland woman accuses Home Depot for workplace discrimination", Molly English-Bowers, Dec. 22, 2015