KFC Fired a Manager Who Refused to Hire a Transgender Employee

Last week, Georgia Carter left a Richmond, Virginia KFC happy to have found employment. An hour later, she was fired.

"He was like, 'You have got the job,'" Carter told local news outlet WRIC, referring to the manager who interviewed her. "I went to my boyfriend and said 'I have a job. I am an active member of society.' I was so happy."

But no less than an hour later, Carter got a phone call informing her that she had lost her job before it even started. The grounds for termination, Carter alleged, was the fact that she is transgender.

"He was like 'My supervisor and I have a problem because on your license it says male but you're…' I said I'm transgender," Carter said, adding that the official reason given to her was confusion surrounding which bathroom she could use. "Oh, we can't hire you because we don't know which bathroom you can use."

While the manager in question initially denied even offering Carter the job, KFC publicly acknowledged the manager's discriminatory actions yesterday and announced that he had been fired after a "thorough investigation."

@elielcruz KFC will not tolerate discrimination. The franchisee terminated this manager & Ms Carter was offered a job at any Richmond KFC

— KFC (@kfc) March 1, 2016

MUNCHIES reached out to KFC for commentary on the situation and they issued the following statement:

"KFC's policy is to treat everyone fairly, equally and with respect, and we do not tolerate discrimination of any kind. Upon learning of this allegation, the franchisee who owns this Richmond restaurant conducted an immediate and thorough investigation. The manager has been terminated for violating the franchisee's anti-discrimination policy, which is inclusive of gender identity and sexual orientation. The franchisee's leadership has also had a conversation with Ms. Carter, offering her employment at this restaurant or any of their Richmond area KFC restaurants, effective immediately. Additionally, the franchisee is emphasizing sensitivity and compliance with their policies to keep this from happening again."

The swift action prompted an outpouring of support for the fried chicken chain on Twitter, and Georgia Carter got the happy ending she deserved.