A former employee has filed a lawsuit against Capital One N.A., a subsidiary of Capital One Financial Corporation, accusing the company of unlawfully terminating her employment following her request for medical accommodations during a high-risk twin pregnancy.
According to the lawsuit, Plaintiff Shardenay Palmer had been with Capital One since March 2015 and rose through the ranks to become Director, Market Executive. She claims she was wrongfully terminated in February 2024 and that her dismissal came shortly after she informed her supervisor about her pregnancy and requested to work from home due to medical advice. Palmer alleges that despite consistently receiving strong performance ratings and having no history of disciplinary actions, she was abruptly fired under the pretext of mishandling an incident at one of the bank branches.
"I was never made aware that my actions were subject to an investigation," Palmer stated in her complaint, emphasizing that no policy violations were communicated to her before or after her termination.
The case centers around an incident on January 13, 2024, when Palmer coordinated the closure of a branch due to a gas leak while working remotely. Although she followed procedures by escalating the issue and obtaining authorization for closure from higher management, she was later accused of failing to exercise proper judgment. Palmer argues that this accusation is unfounded and was used as a cover for discriminatory practices related to her pregnancy.
Palmer's lawsuit cites violations of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the New York State Human Rights Law (NYSHRL), which protect employees from discrimination based on pregnancy. She contends that Capital One's actions were not only unjust but also illegal under these statutes. In support of her claims, Palmer highlights inconsistencies in performance evaluations and asserts that there was no documented coaching or feedback indicating any performance issues prior to her termination.
Palmer is demanding various forms of relief including monetary compensation for economic losses and emotional distress caused by Capital One's alleged discriminatory conduct. She also seeks punitive damages and reimbursement for legal fees incurred during this legal battle.
The plaintiff is represented by attorneys Troy L. Kessler and Jocelyn Small of Kessler Matura P.C. The case was filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York under Case ID: 25 Civ. 1320.