A transgender bank teller reportedly filed a discrimination suit against Wells Fargo after claiming to have suffered repeated instances of “abuse and bullying.”
Alexis Edwards, who identifies as a black transgender woman, was allegedly subjected to ridicule by customers and management alike, and that employers did not intervene to end the alleged discrimination, according to the New York Post. Edwards named branch manager Tiffany Davis and service manager Shaquanna Sheria in the lawsuit, claiming they subjected Edwards to “harsh treatment,” according to the New York Post.
Wells Fargo managers ‘laughed’ as customers mocked transgender bank teller: lawsuit https://t.co/RCO8GR7MNC pic.twitter.com/7jGSRPQMNR
— New York Post (@nypost) February 27, 2023
Court documents claimed Edwards’ sexual identity was mocked by customers, who allegedly said, “She’d never be a real woman because she could never have kids,” according to the New York Post.
Edwards accused Davis of “spreading rumors about [Edwards’] sexual orientation,” and for reprimanding Edwards for being “flamboyant” with her nails.
Edwards “had to go to the doctor to address heightened sugar levels caused by the nasty treatment … by her managers,” according to legal documents obtained by the New York Post.
“It hurt Ms. Edwards so much because managers would play silent all the time and she caught the same managers laughing at the customers’ hurtful statements,” Edwards’ attorney claimed, according to the New York Post.
A representative of Wells Fargo released a vague statement about the matter.
“While we decline to comment on this lawsuit specifically, Wells Fargo has a clear policy that prohibits employee harassment of any kind,” they said, according to the New York Post. (RELATED: Dave Chappelle Says His Jokes Don’t Incite Violence — But The People Protesting Them Do)
Wells Fargo managers ‘laughed’ as customers mocked transgender bank teller: lawsuit https://t.co/dFz2WTXWq5 pic.twitter.com/1LeHtzvaZn
— NY Post Business (@nypostbiz) February 27, 2023
Edwards was allegedly denied a promotion to a personal banker position despite positive performance reviews, according to the New York Post.
Edwards claimed to be deeply affected by working conditions and alleged that a doctor said “her stress level was so high” that it caused sugar levels to spike to “600 plus or near coma level,” according to the New York Post.
Edwards claimed to have voluntarily resign March 18, 2022, but Wells Fargo representatives cited they “terminated her employment” March 2, according to the New York Post.