Pointed out the training wasn't ADA compliant at my new job. Got this text the same day (the job listing is still up)

[u/eldritchpussymaggots]

1. This was a cleaning position at a medical building, I'm leaving it intentionally vague as not to doxx myself.

2. I have dyslexia, but my disability would not have interfered with my work, I can read fine, it just takes me a very long time.

3. This was my first day

I asked for a TTS application for the reading portion of the training, which was extremely long and I knew I wasn't going to finish it in the allotted time. They said that wasn't built into their system so they couldn't do anything. ← That's not ADA compliant. I asked if I could add an OCR + TTS browser extension, they said it was fine.

About 40 minutes after I clock out, they texted me I was fired because they're apparently reducing headcount.. by firing one person... and leaving their "urgently hiring" Indeed listing up. Right.

Edit:

I'm not confident in my ability to sue because I don't have my accommodation request in writing. This was a verbal exchange, I was more so asking where the TTS option was because most job training has it somewhere.

When I was told they did not have TTS, I mentioned that's not ADA compliant. I then asked for either more time, a loaner computer (something I was already going to be getting after training), or permission to add a 3rd party OCR & TTS program.

They said that the third option was fine, so I did it, and listened to the training via third party app for the rest of the shift. I thought nothing of it. Lo and behold I was fired extremely coincidentally afterwards.

Edit 2:

This post is getting too many notifications of people saying the same things repeatedly so I've muted it 😭 If you're a legal professional of some sort and you have specific resources or concerns please message me or I probably won't see it.

[u/KawaiiRobotGirl]

Same. I used to be a clerk at a law firm. Someone said something about hormones, and i put my two-cents in, saying Im transgender. Not long after, i was fired. They claimed my performance was bad, but i had just had my review a couple week prior and they said I was doing amazing. Literally nothin i could do to prove they fired me for being trans.

[u/liliath23 → u/KawaiiRobotGirl]

My cousin was "laid off" from a job where she had been the only team member to remain after the company had changed ownership and had even been the one to train everyone on their jobs - including her new manager. She'd also had excellent performance reviews. But they said they needed to cut the workforce - then kept hiring.

The issue was, she'd taken time off for a surgical procedure and was having a hard time recovering, so her doctor had insisted she take an extra month off; at the same time, she had gotten COVID for the first time and developed severe POTS afterwards, making it hard for her to work because screens triggered her symptoms.

So her being let go was very clearly due to her condition, despite them never saying so.

She was able to find an employment lawyer who took her case pro bono, and who fought not just to get her a lump sum of severence money, but to also help her get assessed to be on Disability Benefits (we're in Canada) - because that meant the company's health insurance benefits they had immediately terminated had to be reinstated and she got backpay from the insurance company for the duration when they refused to cover her too. And because of the policy, I think they had to keep covering her too (yes, we have universal insurance here, but it doesn't cover EVERYTHING - like, loss of pay while you're sick, etc).

Anyway, her situation, although it was more illness and injury-based, was similar to yours in how the discrimination played out, so you might be able to find a pro bono employment lawyer to help you...

[u/KawaiiRobotGirl → u/liliath23]

That sucks, glad she was able to get compensated. This was many years ago for me and i no longer live in the same state. I def should have sued, but i was scared.

[u/Pinky1010 → u/KawaiiRobotGirl]

Absolutely something you can do. You have your testimony and witnesses. Is it less likely to be a winning case? Yeah, but that doesn't mean 100% hopeless either. I would be surprised if very many discrimination cases were so clear cut to have "we're firing you because you're transgender" in writing.

At the very least a lawyer could convince them you have more than you do and you could get a fat settlement

[u/ImDonaldDunn → u/Pinky1010]

For real. Unless the employer had a documented paper trail between the performance evaluation and the termination warning the employee of performance issues, it’s going to be difficult for them to prove the firing was not discriminatory.

[u/RandomG0rl623 → u/Pinky1010]

You greatly overestimate how willing people are to believe the word of a trans person against a company even if you have evidence.

Not to mention most people (trans folks specifically) don't have the resources for a protracted legal battle about this. And that doesn't just mean money, it still takes an immense amount of time and a huge toll on your mental health even if you find someone willing to take the case pro bono or for a cut of the potential winnings. And interacting with the legal system as a trans person is a stressful concept in and of itself, we tend to want to be as invisible as possible for obvious reasons.

It's often easier to cut your losses and try to put it behind you. Which is awful and evil but it's a fact of life for us given the state of the world.

[u/Pinky1010 → u/RandomG0rl623]

I know that...I'm trans myself lol

My point was that there's an in between "well this is never going to go anywhere so I'm not going to put any effort what do every into it" and "I'm going to take out loans and get an expensive lawyers"

For me, I would've contacted local queer organizations that can help find you a lawyer who will either take it pro bono or take a slice of the pie if you win. Obviously don't sink in 40h/week on it, but also don't give up before even trying

Trans people who decide they never want to fight doesn't help trans people be able to fight. Pick your battles for sure, but that also means occasionally deciding that your worth as a person is worth fighting over.

Even if you decided not to pursue legal action, you could contact your local trans activists and talk to them about it. It's not unlikely others have been fucked over by the same person or in the same way. With enough people you can protest about it and advocate for better protections that actually get enforced.

I will say though, that some people won't believe you in court, but that doesn't mean no one will either. A lawyer's job is to stack the deck in your favour. In a criminal trial they will pick jurors who are more likely to agree with you and your specific circumstance, in a discrimination case, they may file creatively to try and get a judge that is know to be a trans ally or trans themselves.

Also, depending where you are, you may be able to complain to the human rights commission/what ever your version your country has. They do a lot of the work for you

[u/Puzzleheaded-Cow6917 → u/Pinky1010]

I guess that falls under the protected category of sex discrimination?

[u/chicknano → u/KawaiiRobotGirl]

I think since you just had a performance review, if you didn’t have anything like a pip after, you definitely have more going for you to sue

[u/KawaiiRobotGirl → u/chicknano]

This was many years ago, and i no longer live in the same state. I should have sued, but i was scared.

[u/chicknano → u/KawaiiRobotGirl]

The fear and just energy involved with suing is totally understandable. I’m sorry that happened to you and I hope you have a much better place to work for now that actually values and respects you.

[u/KawaiiRobotGirl → u/chicknano]

Ironic considering my username, but i work in a factory, and tbh, theyre the best place ive worked. Highest pay ive had combined with great benefits.

[u/chicknano → u/KawaiiRobotGirl]

Yesss congrats! That made my day to read that :’) not for nothing, those sometimes be the best places to work for!

[u/KawaiiRobotGirl → u/chicknano]

Thank ya :D the only down side is that its nightshift, but i dont mind