In a striking case of alleged workplace discrimination, a former employee has taken legal action against a major multinational corporation. On August 13, 2024, Briana Gonzalez filed a complaint in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York against Federal Express Corporation (FedEx), Carmine Alessandro, Trishal Persaud, and Timothy Johnson.
According to the complaint, Gonzalez accuses FedEx and its employees of pervasive sexual harassment, gender and sexual orientation discrimination, creating a hostile work environment, and retaliation. The lawsuit claims that from January 2023 onwards, Gonzalez was subjected to lewd jokes, inappropriate comments about her sexual orientation as a lesbian woman, and even physical assault by her colleagues. "Defendant Alessandro would constantly inappropriately flirt with Plaintiff Gonzalez," the complaint states. Additionally, it alleges that when Gonzalez reported these incidents to FedEx's Human Resources department and supervisors, her complaints were dismissed or ignored.
Gonzalez’s ordeal reportedly began in February 2023 when she started experiencing harassment from her direct supervisor Alessandro and other male coworkers like Persaud. The harassment included derogatory comments such as being called a "dyke," inappropriate gestures, and physical assaults by Persaud. Despite reporting these incidents multiple times to HR and supervisors like Johnson, no effective action was taken. Instead, Gonzalez faced retaliation including being excluded from departmental raises awarded to all other employees in October 2023.
The lawsuit outlines numerous instances where Alessandro allegedly made sexually explicit remarks and engaged in unwanted physical contact. For example, he is accused of groping Gonzalez’s breast under the pretense of retrieving an item from her shirt pocket. When Gonzalez attempted to defend herself verbally against Persaud's physical aggression in May 2023, she was suspended for three weeks while Persaud faced no disciplinary action.
Gonzalez is seeking declaratory relief that acknowledges the unlawful practices she endured under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII), the New York State Human Rights Law (NYSHRL), and the New York City Human Rights Law (NYCHRL). She also seeks compensatory damages for emotional distress, punitive damages for malicious conduct by FedEx employees, prejudgment and post-judgment interest on any monetary awards granted by the court, as well as coverage for legal costs including attorney fees.
Represented by Kayla S. Callahan from Akin & Salaman PLLC, Gonzalez demands justice not only for herself but also aims to highlight systemic issues within corporate environments regarding gender and sexual orientation discrimination. Case ID: 1:24-cv-05655.