A disabled Army veteran and former Walmart employee has filed a federal lawsuit against the retail giant, claiming he was wrongfully terminated after reporting sexual harassment by a transgender coworker in the men’s restroom. The suit, filed August 28 in the U.S. District Court for Colorado, accuses Walmart of religious discrimination and violating the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Plaintiff Joseph Allen, a 100% disabled veteran suffering from PTSD and medically diagnosed Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), says the situation began in October 2023 at a Walmart in Woodland Park, Colorado. After a restroom-related IBS incident, Allen asked management to provide alternative restroom accommodations, citing his Christian beliefs that he could not share a restroom with a biological female—his coworker Charlotte, a female identifying as a male.
The lawsuit details that during one restroom visit, Charlotte allegedly stared at Allen’s exposed groin while he used the urinal. Allen reported the incident to management as sexual harassment but says Walmart refused to address his concerns, citing policies that allow employees to use restrooms based on gender identity.
Allen further alleges that following his complaint, Charlotte, another transgender employee named Michelle (who goes by “Mike”), and a third coworker began harassing him in the workplace. He claims they used motorized carts to invade his personal space and followed him around the store. Allen says he continued to report the incidents but received no support from management.
In December 2023, Allen claims a second restroom incident occurred involving Charlotte. Shortly afterward, both Charlotte and Michelle filed harassment complaints against Allen, leading to his termination. Walmart claimed Allen had harassed his coworkers, despite his prior reports and disability-related requests for accommodation.
The suit argues that Walmart discriminated against Allen by ignoring his religious and medical needs, failing to protect him from harassment, and ultimately retaliating against him for making a complaint. It accuses Walmart of prioritizing political correctness and avoiding backlash from the transgender community over its legal obligations to a disabled Christian employee.
Allen is seeking damages for emotional distress, back pay, and a court ruling that Walmart violated his federal rights under Title VII and the ADA.
