Cherlynn E. Gaynor, a former employee of a prominent tax service company, has filed a lawsuit alleging discrimination and harassment based on race and disability. The complaint was filed pro se by Gaynor in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana on April 22, 2025, against HRB Tax Group, Inc., known as H&R Block.
The case revolves around allegations that during her tenure at H&R Block, which began in December 2000, Gaynor faced continuous harassment from her supervisor Doris Allen. According to the complaint, Allen deliberately made Gaynor's work environment difficult due to her disabilities, which include breathing and mobility impairments. "Despite having been fully informed and apprised of plaintiff's disability status," the complaint states, "Ms. Allen has at every turn harassed and/or made performance of the job more difficult for the plaintiff." Examples cited include moving disability parking spots further away from entrances and ignoring health-related requests such as wearing tennis shoes for medical reasons.
Gaynor claims that these actions were part of a broader pattern of discrimination she experienced as an African-American female with disabilities. She also observed differential treatment compared to white employees who received accommodations for their disabilities. In one incident during the 2024 tax season when H&R Block transitioned to paperless operations, Gaynor was accused by Allen of failing to scan client documents—a charge she disputes and says was handled improperly without following standard disciplinary procedures.
After filing an EEOC Charge of Discrimination citing sex discrimination, disability discrimination, and retaliation (Charge No. 563-2024-02131), Gaynor received a Notice of Rights from the EEOC on January 22, 2025. The agency did not make a determination on the merits but allowed her to pursue legal action within 90 days.
In her lawsuit, Gaynor seeks various forms of relief including back pay, front pay, lost wages (past, present, future), general damages under ADA Title VII and Section 1981 statutes, attorney's fees (though she is representing herself), court costs, and punitive damages. She argues that H&R Block's actions violated multiple federal laws designed to protect employees from workplace discrimination based on race and disability.
The case is being presided over by Judge Jay C. Zainey with Magistrate Judge Donna Phillips Currault assisting in proceedings under Case ID: 2:25-cv-00789-JCZ-DPC.