McDonalds Fires Manager in Trans Case

A McDonald's restaurant in Orlando, Fla., removed the manager who left a voice message telling an applicant Zikerria Bellamy (pictured) that she would not be interviewed because she is transgender.

A spokeswoman for the McDonald's told the Orlando Sentinelthat the employee who left the voice message for Bellamy using antigay slurs was let go. Allison Garrett said the employee "acted outside the scope of his authority and was not responsible for hiring." She said McDonald's "has a zero tolerance policy prohibiting discrimination or harassment in the restaurant."

Bellamy, 17, said two managers were involved in decisions not to interview her on two separate occasions in July after she followed up an online application in person. The statement from McDonald's did not indicate what happened to the second manager.

The Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund has filed a complaint with the Florida human rights commission on behalf of Bellamy.