California loan company sued for antigay harassment [View All]

http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid21885.asp

The California-based mortgage lender "E-Loan" faces a lawsuit alleging the company was slow to respond after employees complained of shocking anti-gay and ethnic slurs by a company supervisor. Two employees have reportedly resigned from E-loan as a result of the harassment. Other employees are incredulous that the supervisor has been kept on in her position.

The lawsuit targets the behavior of one supervisor, Jonni Guelde, who, according to news reports, seemingly saw fit to say anything that came to her. The suit filed in Alameda County October 14th claims Guelde openly and actively used harassing slurs in the workplace on a day-to-day basis.

Yavante Thomas-Guess is a plaintiff in the case. She told the Bay Area Reporter, "My first experience was when I heard someone being called a 'fag.'" Such terms as as "hairy lipped dyke" and "tar baby" are just a few samples of the vast reportoire of abusive language allegedly used by Guelde to intimidate, harass, and demean subordinates at E-loan.