Javier Chavez had worked for Macy’s for more than 20 years and was working as a senior store detective in New York when he called security about a transgender person using the women’s rest room in May. Chavez first learned about the transgender person from a woman in the restroom at the time with her daughter who said she was uncomfortable with a man being in the bathroom with them.
When Chavez called security to tell the transgender woman to leave, she told Chavez that she identifies as a woman and filed her own complaint to Macy’s. When an assistant manager and assistant security manager told Chavez about the transgender policy, he said he was unaware it. He expressed concerns that it went against his Catholic faith.
Chavez was eventually suspended by the human resources manager and then fired. Chavez has brought his case to the New York State Division of Human Rights.