A coffee company in Varginha, Brazil, was ordered to pay R$ 10,000 in damages to a former lesbian employee who was excluded from a Women's Day tribute.
The Regional Labor Court of Minas Gerais (TRT-MG) found a coffee trading and storage company in Varginha liable for moral damages to a former employee, a lesbian woman, who was excluded from a Women's Day tribute due to her sexual orientation. The court decided that the company must pay R$ 10,000 in damages.
On International Women's Day 2023, the plaintiff noticed she was the only female employee who did not receive a rose from the company, while her colleagues did, an act she attributed to her being lesbian. Following this incident, she reported experiencing social isolation, derogatory comments, and humiliation within the workplace, leading to significant emotional distress.
The testimony of a witness during the trial supported the employee's claims of discriminatory behavior from coworkers and supervisors that negatively impacted her dignity. The ruling highlights the ongoing challenges faced by LGBTQ+ individuals in the workplace and sets a precedent for the recognition of discrimination based on sexual orientation in Brazil's labor courts.
