Russian court sides with transgender woman who sued employer

ST. PETERSBURG, Russia – A court in St. Petersburg has sided with a transgender woman who has sued her employer over discrimination.

The ruling marks the first time that a Russian court has recognized workplace discrimination against a transgender person.

The court on Tuesday ordered a printing company to hire back the woman, whom it fired after she changed her ID from male to female in 2017, and pay her damages.

Her lawyer Maks Olenichev said the woman has been reinstated at her job and awarded 10,000 rubles ($155) for emotional distress and 1.85 million rubles ($28,500) for lost income. Olenichev said the verdict "will give a confidence boost to transgender people to defend their rights in Russia."