Gay Staffer Claims Lesbian Boss At Calabasas Co. Sexually Harassed Him

CALABASAS, CA — A former graphic designer is suing a Calabasas-based personal-care products company, alleging he was harassed and discriminated against by a lesbian boss who preferred younger female employees, then terminated in 2021.

Jeremy Ingram's Van Nuys Superior Court lawsuit alleges age, sexuality and disability discrimination as well as wrongful termination and harassment. He seeks unspecified compensatory and punitive damages. The lawsuit does not give Ingram's precise age, but states that he was more than 40 years old and the only male gay employee prior to his "constructive" termination.

A Garcoa representative did not immediately reply to a request for comment on the suit brought Sept. 5.

According to the suit, Ingram's direct supervisor was a lesbian who preferred hiring younger women over men.

Ingram, the company's most senior employee, was diagnosed with HIV in 2016 and his medical condition severely limited his major life activities, according to the suit, which further states that his boss told him not to tell the company owner or other managers about the plaintiff's health.

Ingram had previously been diagnosed ADHD and his supervisor failed to provide him with any support options, the suit alleges.

Ingram designed a product for a trade show in 2018 and after he returned, Garcoa management began taking the plaintiff out of strategy meetings and removing tasks from him after they hired two women with less education and less seniority than him, the suit states.

In 2019, Ingram began taking a new HIV medication that caused severe issues with his health due to the side effects at work, the suit states. Instead of accommodating him, the plaintiff's boss told him to use vacation time whenever he was late to work, the suit states.

However, female employees who were consistently late to work were not required to take their vacation time, the suit alleges.

Ingram was diagnosed with meningitis in July 2021 and was out of work for a month on disability, the suit states. He also had ongoing knee problems, but when he asked to work from home to deal with his knee and HIV issues, his boss required him to come in more often than what was reasonable, the suit states.

Garcoa fired Ingram nine days before his scheduled November 2021 surgery and believes he lost his job because of his gender as well has his complaints about his work environment, the suit states.

Since his departure from Garcoa, Ingram has suffered severe emotional distress, incurred medical expenses and lost past and future wages and benefits, according to the suit.

City News Service