Fighting harassment on the job
La'Ray Reed began working at McDonald's in Redford, Michigan in April, 2015. She is now suing her former employer.
The transgender woman says her managers called her names like “boy-slash-she,” groped her genitals, required her to use a broom closet as a bathroom and asked her inappropriate questions about her sexual orientation and preferences on a regular basis.
She was not allowed to use wither the men's room or the women's room.
The bigotry accusations are the focus of a civil rights lawsuit the Sugar Law Center and Schulz Gotham filed on behalf of Reed last month against McDonald’s and Jon Campbell, the owner of the franchise where the 25-year-old worked.
The suit has been filed in Wayne County Circuit Court, claiming that McDonald's and its franchise owner have violated Michigan's Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act, which promises equal rights for employment, housing, education and public services, regardless of one’s religion, race, color, national origin, age, sex or marital status.
The Elliott-Larsen Act reflects the State of Michigan’s desire to protect folks from discrimination.
La’Ray not only endured discrimination in the workplace but she was brave enough to stick up for herself, something many folks don't like to do, but will improve the fast food industry for others.
--Anthony Paros, Sugar Law
When Reed brought up the disparate treatment to Campbell, she initially was blown off. When she finally got him to bring the issue up with one of her managers, the manager retaliated by cutting her hours and eventually terminating her, the lawsuit charges.
As a company, we are committed to the well-being and fair treatment of all people who work in McDonald’s restaurants and discrimination of any kind is completely inconsistent with our values. As this is an ongoing legal matter involving an independent owner operator, we cannot comment further.
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Comments
I'm glad you saw this, Robyn!
I was informed of it via my connection with Fight for $15, and I debated telling you about it at the time, assuming you already knew.
Thank you for bringing this up: it's important!
"US govt/military = bad. Russian govt/military = bad. Any politician wanting power = bad. Anyone wielding power = bad." --Shahryar
"All power corrupts absolutely!" -- thanatokephaloides
Use a broom closet as a
Use a broom closet as a bathroom...
Jeez, well, I hope she wins.
I'm trying to imagine how
I'm trying to imagine how that would work. Did she have to do her business in a bucket? In addition to being violative of her civil rights, that sounds like a matter for the public health inspectors. I'd think that employees peeing in the broom closet would be a valid reason to shut a restaurant down.
Did the manager not consider any of that? (Rhetorical question. These folks do not seem to be operating at a very high level of consciousness.)
I would be very surprised if this lawsuit is not settled by McDonald's, with a payment to Ms. Reed.
"Don't go back to sleep ... Don't go back to sleep ... Don't go back to sleep."
~Rumi
"If you want revolution, be it."
~Caitlin Johnstone
@Centaurea Now that I think about
Now that I think about it a bit more, I wonder if it is something else as well.
Sometimes, I've seen employees walk in with street clothes carrying a backpack. They would enter a bathroom (and into a stall) and come out in their work attire, also vice versa.
So either A) They forced her, like what you were just describing, as using the broom closet as a bathroom, which sounds like a health hazard.
or B) They had her use the broom closet as a "bathroom", where an employee would go to change.
Or perhaps both I don't know. Either way, it's just utterly ridiculous.
I'm also pleased that she is going forward against the business. Too many times, workers are forced to live in fear if they speak out against abuse or are just simply ignored. We need more workers willing to step up and speak out against injustices they experience.