Keywords: LGBT rights, LGBT issues, transgender, Burlington Coat Factory, Fair Employment and Housing Act, employment discrimination, discrimination

A transgender woman has filed an employment-discrimination lawsuit against Burlington Coat Factory, claiming she suffered years of physical and verbal abuse ending with a retaliatory firing in January, according to Law.com.

The San Francisco Legal Aid Society, which represents Maya Perez, says such lawsuits are rare, even though California's Fair Employment and Housing Act was expanded in 2004 to cover gender identity.

In the complaint, 42-year-old Perez said she was pushed, shoved and fondled by coworkers and customers, as well as verbally harassed with taunts such as "he-she," "Mr. Bitch" and "faggot."

Perez said she reported the harassment to Burlington's regional human-resources chief as well as California's Department of Fair Employment and Housing. The suit claims she was fired because of her complaints.

A spokesperson for Burlington Coat Factory could not be reached.

Click here to read the full story on Law.com.

Click here to read "Human Rights Campaign Foundation Report: Number of Businesses Protecting Transgender Employees Growing" on DiversityInc.com.