Facing hostility for surgery

Conn.woman claims co-workers harassed her about a ‘sex change’ after hysterectomy

A Connecticut woman, planning medical leave from her job in order to undergo a hysterectomy, was allegedly harassed by her supervisor and co-workers, who taunted her about whether she was having a sex-change operation, according to a lawsuit.

The woman was ultimately terminated from her job at Chase Family Movement Disorder Center in Vernon, according to her lawsuit against Hartford HealthCare, which owns the center.

The woman, an East Hartford resident, is claiming sexual orientation discrimination and hostile work environment against Hartford HealthCare.

According to the complaint, the woman was scheduled for surgery in June 2023 and was told by her supervisor to apply for leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act. Before her leave began, she told her supervisor that her wife would be taking care of her after her surgery.

Her supervisor responded by asking her whether she was a lesbian, the suit states. Later, the supervisor asked the woman, “Are you sure you won’t be out for a sex change?” it states.

According to the suit, other employees asked the woman about a sex change or said the supervisor had told them the woman was getting a sex change.

“Plaintiff denied to co-workers and to (the supervisor) that she was getting a sex change and complained that she found the comments hurtful and upsetting,” the suit states.

It continues that the woman suffered from anxiety and depression based on the comments and from discrimination because she a lesbian.

While she was on leave, the woman received a letter informing her that her FMLA leave was denied, the suit states.

When she returned to work on Aug. 7, “co-workers continued to discriminate against and harass the Plaintiff,” the suit claims, and continuing to ask about her alleged sex change.

Comments allegedly included, “How does it feel to be a dude?,” “We thought you were the girl in the marriage, not the guy,” and asking the woman whether she “was manly” because of her rumored sex change, according to the complaint.

The woman “became very upset and responded, ‘I am not a man,’ again asking for the harassment to stop,” the suit states.

Her supervisor told her that co-workers “felt they were ‘walking on eggshells’ and ‘felt weird’ around her” because of the alleged sex change and because she was a lesbian, according to the complaint.

The woman asked her supervisor to tell employees she had not had a sex change operation and to stop harassing her, the suit states. Instead, the supervisor arranged for her to be transferred to a different location.

The woman said she did not want to be transferred, the suit states.

On Aug. 21, 2023, the woman texted her supervisor saying she would not be coming into work that week because of anxiety stemming from the hostile work environment, according to the suit. On Aug. 29, she told her supervisor she would not be returning to work.

According to the lawsuit, Hartford HealthCare, through its agents and employees, discriminated against the woman, subjected her to unwarranted discipline and a hostile working environment and ultimately terminated her on the basis of her sexual orientation in violation of the Connecticut Fair Employment Practices Act.

Tina Varona, senior director of media relations for Hartford HealthCare, said in an email, “While we do not comment on pending litigation by our current or former employees, we are committed to providing a workplace that promotes fair treatment, opportunity and advancement for all, and maintains robust workplace policies and reporting mechanisms to protect colleagues.

“We value the uniqueness of each person and embrace diverse backgrounds, sexual preferences, opinions and experiences,” Varona said. “We are proud of the dedication of our colleagues to create the DEIB —Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging — Council to increase diverse representation and retention in our workforce, and our CRG (Colleague Resource Groups) to bring colleagues together in support of an inclusive workforce.”

The plaintiff filed an administrative complaint with the Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities in December 2021. She then received a release of jurisdiction letter so that she could file the lawsuit, which she filed in Superior Court in Hartford in March.

The woman is represented by Matthew Paradisi of Cicchiello & Cicchiello of Hartford.