PHILADELPHIA - On April 27, a United States Postal Service letter carrier who is openly gay and HIV-positive was given permission to file his discrimination lawsuit anonymously, as a John Doe.
Eastern District of Pennsylvania Judge Joseph F. Leeson Jr. granted the plaintiff’s claims, which were unopposed by USPS, under the two limitations that USPS requested. The organization wanted the plaintiff to undergo depositions and trial with his real name, not the anonymous John Doe, and that the motion is granted without prejudice, giving USPS the opportunity to argue whether he can continue the case anonymously in the future.
“The court finds that based upon the alleged facts in this case… plaintiff has satisfied his burden of showing both (1) a fear of severe harm, and (2) that the fear of severe harm is reasonable,” wrote Judge Leeson. “As such, he is entitled to the extraordinary relief of being permitted to proceed in this action anonymously.”
Still, Judge Leeson went on to reiterate the conditions of granting John Doe’s motion.
John Doe was fired from his job after 12 years. He was told it was because of a dispute with a colleague, Ms. Lisa Williams, that got physical.
While John Doe said the entire incident never happened, and that Ms. Williams made up the dispute because of his sexual orientation, he was later prosecuted for harassment. The case was later dismissed as he was found not guilty.
He also claimed that even if the incident did happen, he suffered a harsher consequence compared to other employees who were involved in unrelated and separate physical disputes.
John Doe also alleged he was told that a manager made inappropriate remarks about his lifestyle, from allegedly calling him “a sick faggot” and “a stinky homo” to claiming that he planned to “get his ass fired,” according to the opinion.