Bost alleges that in 2014 the assistant manager called her “it” and “shim” in front of other workers, engaged in offensive jokes at her expense, and initiated unwanted contact. She also alleges in the lawsuit that this particular assistant manager lied about her so that she would be fired.
However, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., representative Randy Hargrove said, “We disagree with the claims raised by Ms. Bost. Her termination was for performance reasons.” He went on to say that the company “maintains a strong anti-discrimination policy” and supports inclusion and diversity while not tolerating discrimination.
Lawsuit Asks Court for Improved Harassment Training
Because of North Carolina’s bathroom bill uproar and partial repeal, the requests made by Bost’s legal team, Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund, aren’t all that surprising. In addition to unspecified monetary damages, Bost also requests that the company improve its training regarding harassment based on gender identity. Jillian Weiss, Executive Director of the Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund believes that while Wal-Mart, as a parent organization, may have good anti-harassment policies in place, but they must enforce them and not just acknowledge that they have them.
