PHILADELPHIA – A transgender man has claimed in federal court that he was discriminated against by Starbucks Coffee Co.
The complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania on Feb. 13 asks for pay lost as a result of the alleged discrimination.
Connor Kelly, the plaintiff, a transgender male formerly female, and an employee of a Starbucks Coffee outlet in the company's Conshohocken location, alleged that as an employee in 2016 he had been diagnosed with anxiety and gender identity disorder that are both covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
A request for a medical leave of absence from work to deal with the disorders was denied by a store manager and Kelly was terminated from his employment, according to the complaint.
In 2017, Kelly was rehired to work at the company’s Spring House location but alleged that company managers engaged in a campaign of discrimination against him. These included mocking comments made about his transgender status and the withholding of awards for outstanding job performance that were routinely presented to other employees.
Kelly is alleging sex discrimination in a hostile work place, retaliation and disability discrimination plus ADA violations.