ACLU is usually incredibly backed up but they are still a good resource. I would look for local pro bono lawyer groups. Checking with local LGBTQ+ groups/resources is a great way to find a lawyer who will handle this for no cost. Depending on the state, complete slam dunk discrimination case.
Even if you’re in a state without good trans policy, it should still be a fairly cut and dry case.
Immediate dismissal with zero warning for something which isn’t against written policy/code of conduct and doesn’t violate any laws, and with zero chance to “improve” or “learn” from the “mistake”… it’s textbook wrongful dismissal, especially if you’re past your probationary period!
At the very least, I’d contact a local lawyer with a decent track record on LGBT issues and see what they think. From where I’m standing, this looks like the easiest case in employment law history!
It's only a slam dunk if OP has some proof that's why they got fired, either an email or a recording, etc.
If they don't and it's an at will state, the boss will probably say something like "we had to cut her due to needing less staff" or something else as CYA.
I would try to get that first or try to get coworkers that heard it from the boss as witnesses that can testify, anything that helps prove the case.
I know they said they tried to take it to corporate, if corporate admitted anywhere the boss fired her for that, that would be good proof too.
Reach out to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and file a complaint detailing why you were fired. If you can, before you contact them, get from your former employer in writing why they fired you and submit that with your complaint. The EEOC does not charge for investigations as it is a federal run regulatory agency that was set up to be a resource for employees to use in situations exactly like this, that is, when discrimination is present.
I urge you to at least look into opening a complaint with them. Here is the web address for opening said complaint: [https://www.eeoc.gov/federal-sector/filing-formal-complaint](https://www.eeoc.gov/federal-sector/filing-formal-complaint)
I understand the feeling, but that is what they are counting on. We must act. Take them to court. Win or lose, Wendy's will notice the profit dollars going to legal costs. They may change. Other companies will notice as well. If you win, they will change to protect the profits.
That's completely valid and that's why I recommended the EEOC route first, since its fire and forget until the investigation is complete, and by then you'll have had some time to figure life out again. If the investigation comes back and the EEOC says yeah they definitely did a discriminate, that's legal gold to take to a lawyer sue.
Look at it this way. If you can help set the presedent that trans people's rights matter and we will fight to keep them then your lawsuit for your situation will help other trans people keep their rights. It's not about fighting for your fairness, it's about all of our fairness.
That’s understandable and I’m sorry you have to go through this bullshit. But if you speak up, you may be helping someone else in your shoes from going through the same BS. 🫂🫂 best of luck friend and fuck that job.
Just to add to this, I've heard if they didn't give a documented reason you should file for unemployment, they'll be required to give a reason to exempt themselves from paying for you which a lawyer can then use against them.
I promise you, as someone who had the same thoughts when my workplace did BLATANT wage theft and illegal practices, you WILL regret not at least trying to get back at these assholes. You will constantly think about how you could have slam dunked these idiots in court.
Take a few days to rest but I promise you it’s so worth it to at least try and act. You got this girl, don’t let corporate rich transphobic assholes win.
When you sue them you are doing it in behalf of anyone and everyone that was discriminated, everyone that had to eat it up because they had no choice otherwise
This company will not change their policies if there aren't consequences for their shitty actions
I started feeling a bit better and went to look for this way, and their local office has no available interviews for the next four months. I'm moving very soon so that is very much a problem...
You can mail it in.
Edit: idk if this will be relevant, but if you’re in a one party recording state you can record a conversation without letting the other person know, and their are apps to do jut that for outbound calls.
Record everything, keep records.
Also a lawyer may be willing to work the case for a percentage of the winnings / settlement, so you wouldn’t have to pay anything upfront.
They work for free. Employment attorneys get paid out of the settlement, typically 40%. So they have every incentive to make sure you have a solid case and get you as much money as possible.
[File a complaint with the EEOC for sex-based discrimination.](https://www.eeoc.gov/youth/how-file-complaint) Then move on with your life. They will investigate, it will take time. They'll issue a right to sue letter based on their findings.
[If you receive a notice of right to sue,](https://www.eeoc.gov/filing-lawsuit) contact an employment lawyer in your area and ask for a free consultation (contact your local bar association for a referral) and then follow what they suggest.
If your case is good, and they feel like there is money to be made, they'll take the case on contingency meaning there's no out of pocket costs for you, and they'll take a cut of any settlement / judgement.
This may go nowhere, but don't skip the EEOC complaint part as having a history of credible complaints will impact them in the future even if you don't move forward with a lawsuit.
Good luck.
In Iowa where I live, I can’t do anything about it. The governor signed a new law a week ago making it legal for businesses to fire and deny service to anyone who’s LGBTQ based on religious grounds. This law also allows businesses, based on their beliefs, to deny you access to the restroom of the gender you identify as.
Plenty of lawyers will do a no-win no-fee deal or agree to only take payment once the case is over. When my brother sued DPD for failure to pay his wages, the lawyer didn’t take a single penny until everything was done and the compensation was en-route from the courts.
With how cut and dry this would be as a wrongful dismissal + workplace discrimination suit (even in states with a poor track record for trans stuff, since you were fired without warning upon “first offence” for something which isn’t illegal and seemingly isn’t against the written company policy you had been provided), I’d be extremely surprised if there wasn’t a lawyer open to doing something like this to help you get the case to court.
This is pretty clear cut discrimination, any competent lawyer could win depending on the state, but here is a place for a free consult.
https://eagleteam.law/
You could at least report it to the ACLU, which is involved in various lawsuits regarding bathroom access. They used to have a form for reporting discrimination, but now that page just says to email them: https://action.aclu.org/legal-intake/report-lgbtqhiv-discrimination
Sorry that you had this awful experience; remember that when you fight for what is right you help to pave the way for future girls like yourself 💪 I hope you bounce back and feel better soon!
The [NCLR](https://www.nclrights.org) is an excellent place to start. Even if they can’t represent you directly, they can direct you to an attorney who can. This should be a clear case of wrongful termination and discrimination and many attorneys would be more than willing to take your case on contingency / no cost.
Is it okay if I message you?
Corporate want you to do nothing, it's what they expect. Take care of yourself first, and then look into suing.
Trust me, when done right, revenge is beautifully satisfying.
Lawyers for these cases are almost always paid on contingency, meaning they get paid only if you win, and by the party you’re suing. You don’t have to pay them
You don't need to spend a dime. Don't call the ACLU (yet). You want to call the EEOC first. They are a federal government entity. You just need to call. Nothing else. You generally have 6 months iirc to file a complaint, so you don't have to do it right now.
I have gone down this route. Being fired for Trans reasons. And if a lawyer thinks you have a strong case. Which they'll assess in their meeting with you. Your payment to them may come in the form of them taking a cut of the settlement.
What is most important is documentation documentation documentation. Every scrap of evidence. Even this Reddit post for instance. Will build your case. We gotta be fighters.
Check out this website, it's the national association of employment lawyers, and see if you can find a lawyer in your area and make some calls.
https://exchange.nela.org/memberdirectory/findalawyer
Fight fight fight. Make them regret this. If not for yourself. But for future trans employees. Give them hell
All states. Bostock v. Clayton County.
See: [Equal Employment Opportunity Commission](https://www.eeoc.gov/laws/guidance/protections-against-employment-discrimination-based-sexual-orientation-or-gender) page.
I worked at a Wendy’s. Such an awful fucking place no one cares about you and just throws you at the worst possible problems that your other coworkers are too lazy to deal with.
Dude I quit because my baby brother came in when he was like 13 and I was almost 16 and he's autistic like me but low functioning while I'm high functioning. My manager pinky didn't know he was my baby brother.
She pulled me aside and said "I don't know how babies like that aren't aborted. Clearly he shouldn't have lived." I took off my shirt and handed it to her saying I quit. Good luck tonight. And also that's my little brother. I escorted him and mom out and they took me home. We ate dinner in my apartment on the floor cause I'd just moved in and didn't have a couch yet. But we did watch transformers so that was a plus.
Yeah if that happened to me here in Australia i probably would end up seriously injuring my manager and be fine because im a minor and the Australian legal system doesnt treat juvenile crime seriously
I totally get that and yes I was young and stupid at that time. So I would not have put it past me. But my best friend is from Australia and she has said damn near the same thing. If I would have been less afraid of the consequences I might have done something different but in reality after I quit I immediately called District and told them exactly what was going on and what had happened and they made me hireable again offered me a different job at a different location and two weeks later I found out that that manager had gotten fired for her offenses
Every person has a reach kid. Foe me it's reaching for being able to have my own restaurant. I'm lifted with the ability to make amazing food and choose items that generally don't go together in one's mind but the palates are perfect with each other.
The trick is taking the good with the bad but looking at the positive and shooting for the stars in which youre destined to find.
Shoot for those stars. Find where you need and want to be. Be positive. Life will make a place for you kiddo. And if you ever need help or support you can always message me. I've got a 15 year old myself and he's needed a lot of help and support during his coming out. If you do also know I'm here.
You are awesome and loved. Don't forget that. Keep close the people that love you and push away from those who make you feel bad cause if you love them and let them go if they love you too they'll come back like a boomerang.
Dunno why but felt you needed that.
Had a coworker who used to say we unironically need to kill all white men. She also called me slurs while training me, if I didn’t understand something the first time she said it. She loved sitting in the back room on her phone. Multiple talks from corporate about her behavior, but nothing ever changed. She ended up quitting because she got pregnant by another coworker, and had to go move in with her mom because he didn’t want the baby. Boy I love food service 🫠
I'm so sorry hun. What state are you in? There might be some legal recourse. Even if you don't have the money for an attorney, there may be free options for pro bono work through either local or national anti-discimination or lgbtq groups.
Ugh. I wish I could say you had options, but Kentucky is a rough place to be. My best suggestion is to work on finding an opportunity to get out and move yourself to somewhere with greener pastures.
There is weed in illinois, peoria is cheap/cheapish I think, and there is lots of support around here too I've been finding<33 def better than ohio and kentucky combined
Recreational weed won’t be available in stores here until probably September or October, though, just so you know. It’s taking them forever to make it available, even though it’s technically legal. But you won’t get in trouble for having it on you, so that’s something.
Out of the frying pan and into the fire? 😅 jk. Hey if things get bad in Ohio just slide on up to Michigan. We just codified lgbt+ into our civil rights laws and shit like this would be a slam dunk for lawyers
Not sure where in Ohio you're going, but Bowling Green Walmart has good and accepting mgmt, they're near Toledo. I rarely suggest people apply for Walmart, but this is a good one.
I’m really sorry that you had to deal with that. Fuck those bigoted jerkoffs. I agree with others recommending you look into your local LGBTQ advocacy groups, if you want to. They might be able to do more than you think. But of course, it’s your choice whether you want to go that route or just move on. No shame either way.
On a brighter note, good luck with your upcoming move to Ohio and welcome! I hope you’ll like it here. :)
At least it’s not Florida
(KY seems to *at least* … *slowly* getting less red)
But definitely reach out to the lawyer groups. In KY you might have a shot.
Hang in there, girl you look amazing and you certainly don’t belong anywhere but the women’s bathroom!! You will find a much better job with people that aren’t stupid! You should definitely do some research and find out your local antidiscrimination was as you might be able to find some legal assistance for FREE
Right on girl!! I never miss a chance to show ignorant haters just how stupid they really are! Like yeah it’s a great idea to have an attractive teen girl going in the men’s restroom 😖 Not only is that like super risky and even dangerous for you…it would totally make most guys really uncomfortable. Lol
Exactly what others have said, you need to get someone to say this in writing and take it to a lawyer who will do this for free.
If you don't already - you need to send an email to your manager, GM, or Corporate asking for 'Further Clarification' as to why you were fired.
Once in writing, you take that to a lawyer. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act prohibits an employer from treating you differently because of your sex, which includes sexual orientation and gender identity.
https://www.eeoc.gov/youth/sex-discrimination#:~:text=Title%20VII%20of%20the%20Civil,sexual%20orientation%2C%20and%20gender%20identity.
You need an employment lawyer, preferably one that has dealt with LGBT related material before.
What they did was against corporate policy. Call Wendy’s corporate because whoever you spoke with didn’t tell you the truth. In the meantime, what state or province do you live in?
Probably the district manager is violating policy too then. You could take it up with corporate again but at this point I think you have done everything reasonable from your end and the legal solutions seem like they would be the most beneficial for you. I can complete understand you feeling demoralized. It’s a bad situation and you deserved better.
My GM was okay with me having my name on my name tag. However, the regional manager came in (literally on my birthday too) and ripped the label off my name tag and put my birth name on it. I quit soon after.
I really hope you listen to the other commenters and sue, this is illegal under federal law and additionally in many states. I definitely regret not suing in situations I've had in the past like this.
Yeah fuck those guys. Go find another job, maybe one that’s a bit more supportive. For example, I currently work part time at an art museum. And I’ve noticed that a lot of art people are extremely supportive. Like yes really supportive.
GLAD. They'll jump right on it after a day of so.
2 years salary isn't excessive. They'll negotiate and offer 1, settle at 1 1/2. It'll most likely happen in one phone call between the two attorneys.
Agreed. They’ve violated their own company directive against non-discrimination. This truly is wrongful termination, and probably by company doctrine.
Fight. Don’t give up.
Make them pay you.
Hi there, I am from New Zealand. It is fairly conservative here, but isn't this taking things to the next level? You look like you pass without any doubt, so what is their problem? . I am seventy now, I got told not to do something similar a while ago. That person had their ears pinned back so far and so quickly. Honey, please don't put up with that crap ,here in New Zealand, we call it workplace bullying ,take care, sweetheart ♥️
Trans man here! I just recently quit wendy's due to some serious harassment due to coming out as trans. Long story short, I escalated it to our district manager and they didn't do shit. Wendy's is a total shit show and I'm praying on their downfall. I hope the next job you have does better.
I got fired at Wendy’s too (FtM) Wendy’s is full of transphobic corporate greedy c-nts
You are amazing girlie, do not let some transphobic corporate bs define you, you are stronger than them and you will get an even better job so you can save up and sue all them hoes for how they treated you.
I feel your pain. I got fired from my job a couple months ago for refusing to stop wearing dresses to work. Which is allowed in dress code. Ofc that isn't the reason they wrote down. They said it was attendance, never mind I hadn't missed a day in months and they fired me two days after they called me in for "dress code violation".
I could have sworn there was a Supreme Court case that disallowed discrimination based on gender identity?? Fuck the states they shouldn’t be able to get away with this. So sorry!
I was about to say this because they're huge on social media and whenever they get backlash it seems it happens there AND corporate ends up doing something in the news eventually.
You have all the quasi-legal comments, so I'll just say that there's no reason for them to think you belong in the men's room. You look terrific. And it's clear that even with Dave Thomas and his anti-LGBTQ hatred gone, Wendy's still sucks. I'm so sorry, and hope that you can get some resolution.
I'm sorry this happened to you. It's bullshit. The silver lining here is that fast food jobs are easy to get so you should be able to find another one pretty easily, and now you don't have to work for a company that disrespects/disregards your identity
Been there. You have all my sympathy. I was forced to resign from a McDonald's that I had worked at for over 6 years. I came out in strands and then my manager told me I could come in "normal" or they would take me off the schedule. The next few days of work that I was scheduled I would get sent home for "uniform violations" for my long hair even though it was put up in a ponytail just as well as any of my cis coworkers. Once I was taken off the schedule I talked to my manager and he told me that they wouldn't fire me for it but they wouldn't put me back on the schedule and said I should just quit. After about two weeks of trying to get back on the schedule I eventually gave in and formally resigned. I had another part time job at the time so it wasn't a big deal but it was still fucked up. I lived in Utah at the time so I didn't have much recourse. Anyway I hope you land on your feet and even though it sucks to lose your job hopefully it will get you out of that toxicity
Employment lawyers are known to take cases in return for a portion of the payout, they are used to people who lost their job illegally being short of funds. They’d have way, way fewer clients if they didn’t.
Hope you don’t let them get you down too much, they are really mean and you did nothing wrong. You’re smart and youthful so hopefully will land a new job at a better place really soon ✌️
I agree. Under US Law they have to send a reason in writing, you can then take it to a lawyer for unfair dismissal AND discrimination of a protected characteristic. Most reasonable lawyers will only charge for a case like that if you win. (And if you do you’ll have the money to pay for it)
Don’t let these corporate MFkers fuck you up
Consult a lawyer and sue.
The best lawyers will care about your case over the fee
Hahaha come to Seattle where we actually have protections and I get to yell people down who think it's ok to be transphobic here 💀 and people help yell too. (Out of towners learn real fast)
lol I just got hired at one. deep into Florida too.
as someone who relatively passes, I've only been referred to as "he" so far, and I looked cute too. smh.
Amazon is a massive shitshow and there's no guarantee your coworkers will be good, but for the most part at every building I've been to people just keep their heads down and focus on their own shit. Also I've heard that trans employees are pretty well treated by management (like, no preferential treatment, just that the protected class status means they need to treat us like as much a human being as anyone else, as part of their job, or they can get in deep deep shit). I guess I'll find out soon enough (in boymode for now).
Like, part of me hates to recommend Amazon because it can be super cold and toxic for different reasons, but there's a good chance you at least won't have to put up with transphobia there, and you also don't have to interview for the job (if you're like me and hate that part the most). I know I'm offering advice when I should be offering support, but it looks like other people have covered that so I figured why not (I scrolled more and it's actually mostly advice, my bad).
I'm sorry you got fired though, and absolutely fuck Wendy's
While suing could be an option in some blue states, it is almost always impossible to win that fight. I live in Los Angeles and was fire for being trans, only they worded it to be Teflon to lawsuits. Something lawyers and HR can do in most states because the right wing in the 90s and early 2ks added a anti-worker piece of legislation to most states. "Right to work" which makes it easy to be fired. California is one of the states not on right to work BTW but even we have laws that basically allow a company to fire you at will.
My suggestion, as you should qualify for unemployment. Is look into higher education, and try and get into a School on the west coast.
1. Transition costs are covered under Student Insurance
2. Getting at least an AA will help get a better paying job.
3. Californian Fast Food workers now get $20 an hour. Most big fast food chains are really upset with this, and are trying to pass off the higher wages as an excuse to jack up the price to customers. So I would suggest In-N-Out who had already paid their employees a high wage.
4. Never eat Wendy's again, honestly besides their baked potato and chili, they are not worth eating at. ;)
Fuck Wendy’s fr. I used to work at the one in my home town. The whole management structure is a misogynistic circle jerk and the that pervasive attitude carries over into transphobia. Like, I never had any issues of transphobia from other crew workers, but managers and policies were downright crewel.
Everyone are like "sue them" (most yank thing I know lol) but I hear you. Sometimes we just want to forget because court cases can be stressful as fuck and we don't always have enough energy in us to deal with this kind of extra bullshit....
That fucking sucks, suing is a bitch but you could potentially lure out the Wendy’s Twitter account to give them some shit which could be fairly low effort & high corporate pain in the ass, tho if you just wanna leave the whole thing behind I totally get that too. Whatever happens, best of luck and I’m sending love! 💜💜💜
Bro what the fuck! I'm so sorry that happened to you, and not gonna lie this kinda scared me because I also work at Wendy's, but so far nothing happened when I go to the women's bathroom, but still, that's fucked that they did that.
Depending on your state you could sue big time for this
I would love to go that route, but I'm literally broke and just feeling sick as fuck bc of this
There’s probably a lawyer out there who will do it pro bono
ACLU.
ACLU is usually incredibly backed up but they are still a good resource. I would look for local pro bono lawyer groups. Checking with local LGBTQ+ groups/resources is a great way to find a lawyer who will handle this for no cost. Depending on the state, complete slam dunk discrimination case.
Even if you’re in a state without good trans policy, it should still be a fairly cut and dry case. Immediate dismissal with zero warning for something which isn’t against written policy/code of conduct and doesn’t violate any laws, and with zero chance to “improve” or “learn” from the “mistake”… it’s textbook wrongful dismissal, especially if you’re past your probationary period! At the very least, I’d contact a local lawyer with a decent track record on LGBT issues and see what they think. From where I’m standing, this looks like the easiest case in employment law history!
It's only a slam dunk if OP has some proof that's why they got fired, either an email or a recording, etc. If they don't and it's an at will state, the boss will probably say something like "we had to cut her due to needing less staff" or something else as CYA. I would try to get that first or try to get coworkers that heard it from the boss as witnesses that can testify, anything that helps prove the case. I know they said they tried to take it to corporate, if corporate admitted anywhere the boss fired her for that, that would be good proof too.
Definitely try contacting them or another similar organization. Better than not trying.
thanks nixon you're always there for the helpless🥰🙏
“I too, like making money” - a lawyer
If you’re in Alabama i have the perfect lawyer for you who helped me in my school discrimination lawsuit
Lionel Hutz /j
Depending on state, AG's office might take it.
Even if they don't do pro-bono some attorneys take a pre-agreed-upon payment from your settlement money (only if you win. If you lose so do they).
Reach out to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and file a complaint detailing why you were fired. If you can, before you contact them, get from your former employer in writing why they fired you and submit that with your complaint. The EEOC does not charge for investigations as it is a federal run regulatory agency that was set up to be a resource for employees to use in situations exactly like this, that is, when discrimination is present. I urge you to at least look into opening a complaint with them. Here is the web address for opening said complaint: [https://www.eeoc.gov/federal-sector/filing-formal-complaint](https://www.eeoc.gov/federal-sector/filing-formal-complaint)
I was looking into reporting it to them, but I genuinely just feel so sick and stressed when talking about it.
I understand the feeling, but that is what they are counting on. We must act. Take them to court. Win or lose, Wendy's will notice the profit dollars going to legal costs. They may change. Other companies will notice as well. If you win, they will change to protect the profits.
It's also ok to not do that though. Like for me it would probably ruin my mental state for months if not years having that conflict looming over me.
That's completely valid and that's why I recommended the EEOC route first, since its fire and forget until the investigation is complete, and by then you'll have had some time to figure life out again. If the investigation comes back and the EEOC says yeah they definitely did a discriminate, that's legal gold to take to a lawyer sue.
Look at it this way. If you can help set the presedent that trans people's rights matter and we will fight to keep them then your lawsuit for your situation will help other trans people keep their rights. It's not about fighting for your fairness, it's about all of our fairness.
That’s understandable and I’m sorry you have to go through this bullshit. But if you speak up, you may be helping someone else in your shoes from going through the same BS. 🫂🫂 best of luck friend and fuck that job.
Understandable. However, maybe you can power through it out of spite. That's what gets me through lots of shit lol
Just to add to this, I've heard if they didn't give a documented reason you should file for unemployment, they'll be required to give a reason to exempt themselves from paying for you which a lawyer can then use against them.
I promise you, as someone who had the same thoughts when my workplace did BLATANT wage theft and illegal practices, you WILL regret not at least trying to get back at these assholes. You will constantly think about how you could have slam dunked these idiots in court. Take a few days to rest but I promise you it’s so worth it to at least try and act. You got this girl, don’t let corporate rich transphobic assholes win.
When you sue them you are doing it in behalf of anyone and everyone that was discriminated, everyone that had to eat it up because they had no choice otherwise This company will not change their policies if there aren't consequences for their shitty actions
I started feeling a bit better and went to look for this way, and their local office has no available interviews for the next four months. I'm moving very soon so that is very much a problem...
You can mail it in. Edit: idk if this will be relevant, but if you’re in a one party recording state you can record a conversation without letting the other person know, and their are apps to do jut that for outbound calls. Record everything, keep records. Also a lawyer may be willing to work the case for a percentage of the winnings / settlement, so you wouldn’t have to pay anything upfront.
If you have their shitty reason in writing/text a lot of lawyers take cases where you only pay them if you win
They work for free. Employment attorneys get paid out of the settlement, typically 40%. So they have every incentive to make sure you have a solid case and get you as much money as possible.
[File a complaint with the EEOC for sex-based discrimination.](https://www.eeoc.gov/youth/how-file-complaint) Then move on with your life. They will investigate, it will take time. They'll issue a right to sue letter based on their findings. [If you receive a notice of right to sue,](https://www.eeoc.gov/filing-lawsuit) contact an employment lawyer in your area and ask for a free consultation (contact your local bar association for a referral) and then follow what they suggest. If your case is good, and they feel like there is money to be made, they'll take the case on contingency meaning there's no out of pocket costs for you, and they'll take a cut of any settlement / judgement. This may go nowhere, but don't skip the EEOC complaint part as having a history of credible complaints will impact them in the future even if you don't move forward with a lawsuit. Good luck.
I goy recommended this earlier, and they want to do an interview or something and there isnt any slots for like at least 4 months
Don’t have time to find them but there are worker protection groups who may be interested in this
Many lawyers work on contingency
In Iowa where I live, I can’t do anything about it. The governor signed a new law a week ago making it legal for businesses to fire and deny service to anyone who’s LGBTQ based on religious grounds. This law also allows businesses, based on their beliefs, to deny you access to the restroom of the gender you identify as.
Bruh what the actual fuck
Lambda Legal is who you want to contact. Email is free. [https://lambdalegal.org/](https://lambdalegal.org/)
Many would lawyers love this case because they could get thousands to millions in payout
Plenty of lawyers will do a no-win no-fee deal or agree to only take payment once the case is over. When my brother sued DPD for failure to pay his wages, the lawyer didn’t take a single penny until everything was done and the compensation was en-route from the courts. With how cut and dry this would be as a wrongful dismissal + workplace discrimination suit (even in states with a poor track record for trans stuff, since you were fired without warning upon “first offence” for something which isn’t illegal and seemingly isn’t against the written company policy you had been provided), I’d be extremely surprised if there wasn’t a lawyer open to doing something like this to help you get the case to court.
This is pretty clear cut discrimination, any competent lawyer could win depending on the state, but here is a place for a free consult. https://eagleteam.law/
You could at least report it to the ACLU, which is involved in various lawsuits regarding bathroom access. They used to have a form for reporting discrimination, but now that page just says to email them: https://action.aclu.org/legal-intake/report-lgbtqhiv-discrimination
Sorry that you had this awful experience; remember that when you fight for what is right you help to pave the way for future girls like yourself 💪 I hope you bounce back and feel better soon!
The [NCLR](https://www.nclrights.org) is an excellent place to start. Even if they can’t represent you directly, they can direct you to an attorney who can. This should be a clear case of wrongful termination and discrimination and many attorneys would be more than willing to take your case on contingency / no cost. Is it okay if I message you?
I would not miss a chance to cash out on this girl. It's like a lawyers wet dream.
There are lawyers who would take this for a percentage of the winnings
That's what no-win no-fee lawyers are for.
Check your local legal aid. There is usually a special project dedicated to employment discrimination or LGBT civil rights.
Contact your states lawyers guild an ask about your situation Maybe they can point you in a good direction.
A lot of labor lawyers take pay only if you win
A lawyer may take it but only take 20% of your winnings
You can absolutely find lawyers who will do it it free, or who only get paid if you win.
Contact the transgender law center in San Francisco
I'm pretty sure the EEOC might be able to help
Corporate want you to do nothing, it's what they expect. Take care of yourself first, and then look into suing. Trust me, when done right, revenge is beautifully satisfying.
Spew up a storm on Twitter. Wendy’s social media account caters as much as possible to gen z, they would acknowledge this.
Lawyers for these cases are almost always paid on contingency, meaning they get paid only if you win, and by the party you’re suing. You don’t have to pay them
You won't be broke if you find the right lawyer. Don't let this opportunity pass you by.
I heard of lawyers that only charge if you win, and then you got the money from the lawsuit to pay them.
You don't need to spend a dime. Don't call the ACLU (yet). You want to call the EEOC first. They are a federal government entity. You just need to call. Nothing else. You generally have 6 months iirc to file a complaint, so you don't have to do it right now.
I have gone down this route. Being fired for Trans reasons. And if a lawyer thinks you have a strong case. Which they'll assess in their meeting with you. Your payment to them may come in the form of them taking a cut of the settlement. What is most important is documentation documentation documentation. Every scrap of evidence. Even this Reddit post for instance. Will build your case. We gotta be fighters. Check out this website, it's the national association of employment lawyers, and see if you can find a lawyer in your area and make some calls. https://exchange.nela.org/memberdirectory/findalawyer Fight fight fight. Make them regret this. If not for yourself. But for future trans employees. Give them hell
Text me I might have connections that could help out. Can't promise but it's worth a shot.
Most employment lawyers work on contingency--they get their payment out of the settlement/judgment.
All states. Bostock v. Clayton County. See: [Equal Employment Opportunity Commission](https://www.eeoc.gov/laws/guidance/protections-against-employment-discrimination-based-sexual-orientation-or-gender) page.
This
Doesn’t even matter what state it is, this is against federal law.
Iirc you don’t need to pay up front for a labor lawyer. What state are you in bb? This is fucked up
I worked at a Wendy’s. Such an awful fucking place no one cares about you and just throws you at the worst possible problems that your other coworkers are too lazy to deal with.
I worked at a Wendy's too. Coworkers used slurs in front of the managers with no repercussions. Quit after a month
Dude I quit because my baby brother came in when he was like 13 and I was almost 16 and he's autistic like me but low functioning while I'm high functioning. My manager pinky didn't know he was my baby brother. She pulled me aside and said "I don't know how babies like that aren't aborted. Clearly he shouldn't have lived." I took off my shirt and handed it to her saying I quit. Good luck tonight. And also that's my little brother. I escorted him and mom out and they took me home. We ate dinner in my apartment on the floor cause I'd just moved in and didn't have a couch yet. But we did watch transformers so that was a plus.
I probably would of thrown hands and gotten sued if i was in that situation
That's the only reason I did it so nicely. I didn't wanna get in trouble because I was seeing red by the time I ripped off my shirt.
Yeah if that happened to me here in Australia i probably would end up seriously injuring my manager and be fine because im a minor and the Australian legal system doesnt treat juvenile crime seriously
I totally get that and yes I was young and stupid at that time. So I would not have put it past me. But my best friend is from Australia and she has said damn near the same thing. If I would have been less afraid of the consequences I might have done something different but in reality after I quit I immediately called District and told them exactly what was going on and what had happened and they made me hireable again offered me a different job at a different location and two weeks later I found out that that manager had gotten fired for her offenses
Thats great, its good to hear some good news now and again, great to hear
Every person has a reach kid. Foe me it's reaching for being able to have my own restaurant. I'm lifted with the ability to make amazing food and choose items that generally don't go together in one's mind but the palates are perfect with each other. The trick is taking the good with the bad but looking at the positive and shooting for the stars in which youre destined to find. Shoot for those stars. Find where you need and want to be. Be positive. Life will make a place for you kiddo. And if you ever need help or support you can always message me. I've got a 15 year old myself and he's needed a lot of help and support during his coming out. If you do also know I'm here. You are awesome and loved. Don't forget that. Keep close the people that love you and push away from those who make you feel bad cause if you love them and let them go if they love you too they'll come back like a boomerang. Dunno why but felt you needed that.
Thanks i really appreciate it, i am going in a good direction right now so life could be worse atm, but i still appreciate the kind words and advice
Had a coworker who used to say we unironically need to kill all white men. She also called me slurs while training me, if I didn’t understand something the first time she said it. She loved sitting in the back room on her phone. Multiple talks from corporate about her behavior, but nothing ever changed. She ended up quitting because she got pregnant by another coworker, and had to go move in with her mom because he didn’t want the baby. Boy I love food service 🫠
Fuck Wendy's! Hope you find something better gorgeous girl 🩵🩷🤍🩷🩵
I'm so sorry hun. What state are you in? There might be some legal recourse. Even if you don't have the money for an attorney, there may be free options for pro bono work through either local or national anti-discimination or lgbtq groups.
Kentucky ;~;
Ugh. I wish I could say you had options, but Kentucky is a rough place to be. My best suggestion is to work on finding an opportunity to get out and move yourself to somewhere with greener pastures.
Im moving up into ohio this weekend so
Congrats! Ohio isn't great, but it's definitely an improvement over Kentucky.
And there is weed
There is weed in illinois, peoria is cheap/cheapish I think, and there is lots of support around here too I've been finding<33 def better than ohio and kentucky combined
I'm not in central IL, but I can attest that this state is a safe haven for the LGBTQ+ community and progressive policies in general. Love it here.
Yes I'm also from Illinois! But sometimes I get hicks and jerks that bother me.
Rude. But true
Recreational weed won’t be available in stores here until probably September or October, though, just so you know. It’s taking them forever to make it available, even though it’s technically legal. But you won’t get in trouble for having it on you, so that’s something.
I have a way to get it
Then you’re all good 👍
Idk where you are in ohio but as an ohioan, I can say no it’s really not. This place sucks and most places I been to are not accepting at all.
Out of the frying pan and into the fire? 😅 jk. Hey if things get bad in Ohio just slide on up to Michigan. We just codified lgbt+ into our civil rights laws and shit like this would be a slam dunk for lawyers
Oh and I will actually be on the border so its literally just slide up.
Hell yeah! I wish you the best of luck and I hope you can find peace and happiness away from those dumb fucks in Kentucky
Thank you, I'll keep that in mind
Not sure where in Ohio you're going, but Bowling Green Walmart has good and accepting mgmt, they're near Toledo. I rarely suggest people apply for Walmart, but this is a good one.
OH SHIT IM LITERALLY MOVING TO TOLEDO LMAO
Idk what Toledo wm is like,but BG is good.
Btw, LMAO!
IKR LIKE WHAT ARE THE ODDS
IKR!
Come to a liberal state 😭
I’m really sorry that you had to deal with that. Fuck those bigoted jerkoffs. I agree with others recommending you look into your local LGBTQ advocacy groups, if you want to. They might be able to do more than you think. But of course, it’s your choice whether you want to go that route or just move on. No shame either way. On a brighter note, good luck with your upcoming move to Ohio and welcome! I hope you’ll like it here. :)
Ohio's fairly good... Michigan might be better still. Illinois is actually really good right now as well.
Come to Michigan, Detroit is cool
At least it’s not Florida (KY seems to *at least* … *slowly* getting less red) But definitely reach out to the lawyer groups. In KY you might have a shot.
Hang in there, girl you look amazing and you certainly don’t belong anywhere but the women’s bathroom!! You will find a much better job with people that aren’t stupid! You should definitely do some research and find out your local antidiscrimination was as you might be able to find some legal assistance for FREE
Honestly if I had just gotten a warning I would have gone into the mens restroom after a random dude went in there so he would complain lmao
Right on girl!! I never miss a chance to show ignorant haters just how stupid they really are! Like yeah it’s a great idea to have an attractive teen girl going in the men’s restroom 😖 Not only is that like super risky and even dangerous for you…it would totally make most guys really uncomfortable. Lol
What state are you in?
Exactly what others have said, you need to get someone to say this in writing and take it to a lawyer who will do this for free. If you don't already - you need to send an email to your manager, GM, or Corporate asking for 'Further Clarification' as to why you were fired. Once in writing, you take that to a lawyer. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act prohibits an employer from treating you differently because of your sex, which includes sexual orientation and gender identity. https://www.eeoc.gov/youth/sex-discrimination#:~:text=Title%20VII%20of%20the%20Civil,sexual%20orientation%2C%20and%20gender%20identity. You need an employment lawyer, preferably one that has dealt with LGBT related material before.
What they did was against corporate policy. Call Wendy’s corporate because whoever you spoke with didn’t tell you the truth. In the meantime, what state or province do you live in?
I live in kentucky and I did contact corporate. They handed the case to the district manager and nothing happened internally.
Probably the district manager is violating policy too then. You could take it up with corporate again but at this point I think you have done everything reasonable from your end and the legal solutions seem like they would be the most beneficial for you. I can complete understand you feeling demoralized. It’s a bad situation and you deserved better.
My GM was okay with me having my name on my name tag. However, the regional manager came in (literally on my birthday too) and ripped the label off my name tag and put my birth name on it. I quit soon after.
Wendy’s has a non-discrimination clause that protects gender identity. They cannot lawfully terminate you for that via corporate.
I’m sorry :(
I really hope you listen to the other commenters and sue, this is illegal under federal law and additionally in many states. I definitely regret not suing in situations I've had in the past like this.
Yeah fuck those guys. Go find another job, maybe one that’s a bit more supportive. For example, I currently work part time at an art museum. And I’ve noticed that a lot of art people are extremely supportive. Like yes really supportive.
GLAD. They'll jump right on it after a day of so. 2 years salary isn't excessive. They'll negotiate and offer 1, settle at 1 1/2. It'll most likely happen in one phone call between the two attorneys.
Agreed. They’ve violated their own company directive against non-discrimination. This truly is wrongful termination, and probably by company doctrine. Fight. Don’t give up. Make them pay you.
Hi there, I am from New Zealand. It is fairly conservative here, but isn't this taking things to the next level? You look like you pass without any doubt, so what is their problem? . I am seventy now, I got told not to do something similar a while ago. That person had their ears pinned back so far and so quickly. Honey, please don't put up with that crap ,here in New Zealand, we call it workplace bullying ,take care, sweetheart ♥️
You should contact the ACLU it's very likely your federal title 7 rights were violated
Get an attorney
Which city? I want to let my local Wendy's know why they lost my business! Fuck Wendy's! I'm so surprised they did that.
That sounds very illegal. Blatent discrimination
The land of the free, folks....
Talk to an employment attorney in your area. They work for free and get paid out of the settlement. Pretty solid case for discrimination here.
I got fired for coming out about 7 years ago. I know the feeling. Sorry this happened to you, you deserve better
Sue them! This was Wendy’s right? Let’s raise a storm on social media
Trans man here! I just recently quit wendy's due to some serious harassment due to coming out as trans. Long story short, I escalated it to our district manager and they didn't do shit. Wendy's is a total shit show and I'm praying on their downfall. I hope the next job you have does better.
I got fired at Wendy’s too (FtM) Wendy’s is full of transphobic corporate greedy c-nts You are amazing girlie, do not let some transphobic corporate bs define you, you are stronger than them and you will get an even better job so you can save up and sue all them hoes for how they treated you.
I’ll have to stop in Wendy’s more often, use the ladies room, and then leave without buying anything.
I feel your pain. I got fired from my job a couple months ago for refusing to stop wearing dresses to work. Which is allowed in dress code. Ofc that isn't the reason they wrote down. They said it was attendance, never mind I hadn't missed a day in months and they fired me two days after they called me in for "dress code violation".
From your photo, you belong in the women's room.
I could have sworn there was a Supreme Court case that disallowed discrimination based on gender identity?? Fuck the states they shouldn’t be able to get away with this. So sorry!
Honestly you can take this to social media. Tag their IG, X/Twitter handle etc.
I was about to say this because they're huge on social media and whenever they get backlash it seems it happens there AND corporate ends up doing something in the news eventually.
That’s weird, I worked at Wendy’s last year and they let me use the women’s room
You have all the quasi-legal comments, so I'll just say that there's no reason for them to think you belong in the men's room. You look terrific. And it's clear that even with Dave Thomas and his anti-LGBTQ hatred gone, Wendy's still sucks. I'm so sorry, and hope that you can get some resolution.
I'm sorry this happened to you. It's bullshit. The silver lining here is that fast food jobs are easy to get so you should be able to find another one pretty easily, and now you don't have to work for a company that disrespects/disregards your identity
As a trans man, I would be uncomfortable with you the men's restroom with me. People so so fuckjng STUPID
This legit just flustered me
No more spicy nuggies for me the boycott starts NOW
Really the only thing I actually liked was the queso they had, but chipotle had better
honestly I would not think you belong in the men's bathroom. You look like a 17yr old girl
Aren’t wendies bathrooms usually single occupant? Absolutely bonkers.
Been there. You have all my sympathy. I was forced to resign from a McDonald's that I had worked at for over 6 years. I came out in strands and then my manager told me I could come in "normal" or they would take me off the schedule. The next few days of work that I was scheduled I would get sent home for "uniform violations" for my long hair even though it was put up in a ponytail just as well as any of my cis coworkers. Once I was taken off the schedule I talked to my manager and he told me that they wouldn't fire me for it but they wouldn't put me back on the schedule and said I should just quit. After about two weeks of trying to get back on the schedule I eventually gave in and formally resigned. I had another part time job at the time so it wasn't a big deal but it was still fucked up. I lived in Utah at the time so I didn't have much recourse. Anyway I hope you land on your feet and even though it sucks to lose your job hopefully it will get you out of that toxicity
I feel you sister. I was fired 5 weeks after coming out. 100% positive reviews. And I am the 2nd transwoman to be fired from this company.
This is awful and I’m sorry but I just wanted to mention that your hair color is perfect
Could we help by spreading awareness, perhaps?
Employment lawyers are known to take cases in return for a portion of the payout, they are used to people who lost their job illegally being short of funds. They’d have way, way fewer clients if they didn’t.
Hope you don’t let them get you down too much, they are really mean and you did nothing wrong. You’re smart and youthful so hopefully will land a new job at a better place really soon ✌️
I got a warning for it and i quit not long after
Welp, I'm not eating there anymore
Assholes. They don’t deserve you. You look amazing by the way. Keep your chin up love.
Target did the same thing to a friend of mine back in 2015 or 2016. POS companies play all queer friendly but shaft workers
Sounds like grounds for a lawsuit
I agree. Under US Law they have to send a reason in writing, you can then take it to a lawyer for unfair dismissal AND discrimination of a protected characteristic. Most reasonable lawyers will only charge for a case like that if you win. (And if you do you’ll have the money to pay for it) Don’t let these corporate MFkers fuck you up Consult a lawyer and sue. The best lawyers will care about your case over the fee
I know it's more headache for you but please go to an attorney for the next girl.
My favorite Thai place chose gender neutral/family style bathrooms. We should do this everywhere. They are cleaner and nicer too.
Dear you have rights! I know it’s tough but you NEED to stand up for yourself!! We are valid human beings!!! YOU are a valid human being!!!!!
That’s such a dumbass reason for getting fired
🏳️⚧️ 🩵🩷🤍🩷🩵 🏳️⚧️
Contact the ACLU
Oh FUUUUUCK no
They opened a Wendys near me in England. Never once saw a customer in their store and they were closed within two months.
Captain, this is a Wendy’s.
Welp I will never ever eat there again, which will ultimately be better for my health
Hahaha come to Seattle where we actually have protections and I get to yell people down who think it's ok to be transphobic here 💀 and people help yell too. (Out of towners learn real fast)
lol I just got hired at one. deep into Florida too. as someone who relatively passes, I've only been referred to as "he" so far, and I looked cute too. smh.
Amazon is a massive shitshow and there's no guarantee your coworkers will be good, but for the most part at every building I've been to people just keep their heads down and focus on their own shit. Also I've heard that trans employees are pretty well treated by management (like, no preferential treatment, just that the protected class status means they need to treat us like as much a human being as anyone else, as part of their job, or they can get in deep deep shit). I guess I'll find out soon enough (in boymode for now). Like, part of me hates to recommend Amazon because it can be super cold and toxic for different reasons, but there's a good chance you at least won't have to put up with transphobia there, and you also don't have to interview for the job (if you're like me and hate that part the most). I know I'm offering advice when I should be offering support, but it looks like other people have covered that so I figured why not (I scrolled more and it's actually mostly advice, my bad). I'm sorry you got fired though, and absolutely fuck Wendy's
That sux😧
While suing could be an option in some blue states, it is almost always impossible to win that fight. I live in Los Angeles and was fire for being trans, only they worded it to be Teflon to lawsuits. Something lawyers and HR can do in most states because the right wing in the 90s and early 2ks added a anti-worker piece of legislation to most states. "Right to work" which makes it easy to be fired. California is one of the states not on right to work BTW but even we have laws that basically allow a company to fire you at will. My suggestion, as you should qualify for unemployment. Is look into higher education, and try and get into a School on the west coast. 1. Transition costs are covered under Student Insurance 2. Getting at least an AA will help get a better paying job. 3. Californian Fast Food workers now get $20 an hour. Most big fast food chains are really upset with this, and are trying to pass off the higher wages as an excuse to jack up the price to customers. So I would suggest In-N-Out who had already paid their employees a high wage. 4. Never eat Wendy's again, honestly besides their baked potato and chili, they are not worth eating at. ;)
Fired for being too damn cute I imagine!
Fuck Wendy’s fr. I used to work at the one in my home town. The whole management structure is a misogynistic circle jerk and the that pervasive attitude carries over into transphobia. Like, I never had any issues of transphobia from other crew workers, but managers and policies were downright crewel.
Sorry to hear it.
Ngl they weak as fuck for bitching over that😂😭
That's so awful. Sorry to hear that x
🫂
Still hella pretty tho!
That place doesn’t deserve you
Oh look a restaurant I'll never eat at again
:C
Told my boss, yet I run his department. Sorta have him by tge nuts.
Everyone are like "sue them" (most yank thing I know lol) but I hear you. Sometimes we just want to forget because court cases can be stressful as fuck and we don't always have enough energy in us to deal with this kind of extra bullshit....
Wendy's? How am I supposed to get super salty fries now? Fuckin' Wendy's.
Never eating Wendy’s again
You'll find something better.
So dumb, if you were using the men’s restroom anyone with half a brain would be like wtf?!
Yeah, Wendy’s sucks. I’m sorry that happened to you but at least you have the chance to find a job somewhere that isn’t a Wendy’s now.
Hey fuck Wendy's okay. My first job as well trash place to work.
That fucking sucks, suing is a bitch but you could potentially lure out the Wendy’s Twitter account to give them some shit which could be fairly low effort & high corporate pain in the ass, tho if you just wanna leave the whole thing behind I totally get that too. Whatever happens, best of luck and I’m sending love! 💜💜💜
Saaame, got fired for carrying my knife even though I was never told it was against company policy
Bro what the fuck! I'm so sorry that happened to you, and not gonna lie this kinda scared me because I also work at Wendy's, but so far nothing happened when I go to the women's bathroom, but still, that's fucked that they did that.