According to a report from Windy City Media Group, the San Francisco Department of Motor Vehicles recently settled a lawsuit with a transgender woman who asserts she was harassed by a former worker after a visit.
The lawsuit alleges a former DMV employee, who had a known history of being discriminatory, copied the information of the plaintiff after she visited and then harassed her. The former worker reportedly sent the plaintiff materials condemning her transgender status as well as other increasingly derogatory items.
The suit was filed in December 2010, which alleges the transgender woman’s rights were violated under the California Information Practices Act and the Unruh Civil Rights Act. A similar lawsuit was filed personally against the worker as well, who resigned from his position soon after the incident.
As part of the settlement, the DMV paid $40,000 and the former worker issued $15,000. The DMV will also now work with the Transgender Law Center to incorporate a greater level of sensitivity into its employee training.
The lawsuits highlight the importance of instituting and adhering to legal business practices, as well as avoiding discriminatory actions at all costs. Failure to do either can result in an expensive professional liability lawsuit.
