Banker sues employer after manager puts Chucky doll on her chair; claims discrimination

Debra Jones, an ex-employee of Truist Bank, has claimed her manager allegedly left a Chucky doll in her chair despite being aware of her fear of dolls.

A former bank employee is suing her ex-company on allegations that a manager placed a Chucky doll in her office despite being aware that she was afraid of dolls. Debra Jones, who worked at North Carolina’s Truist Bank filed a complaint against her company on May 21, People reported. In her complaint, Jones alleged that she was “subjected to discrimination and retaliation based on her being a qualified individual with disabilities.” She is now seeking compensation from the bank. 

A banker sued her employer over Chucky dolls(Unsplash)

(https://people.com/banker-with-fear-of-dolls-sues-employer-after-boss-allegedly-left-chucky-toy-in-her-chair-11757117)

What happened

As per her complaint, Debra Jones joined Truist Bank’s Rocky Mount branch in April 2024. Court papers seen by People said that she was diagnosed with “major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and autoimmune disorder vitiligo.” Jones has alleged that her employer was aware of these conditions and her fear of dolls.

In June 2024, during the last week of new hire training, Jones alleged that her manager placed a Chucky doll in her office chair. The doll is a fictitious character from the 1988 slasher horror movie Child’s Play. This reportedly interfered with her training and worsened her medical condition. Jones was later placed on medical leave for eight weeks and was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after the Chucky incident.

When Jones returned to work, she was assigned a new manager. She was allowed to leave work at 3 pm thrice a week to receive treatment for her autoimmune disease. Three months later, her new manager reportedly joked about her being "always fraudulent vigilant” after she discovered a fake check. Jones said she found the joke offensive.

In January, another Truist manager told her that her leaving work at 3 pm was affecting other employees who needed some time off. She was also told that she could not use her emotional and anxiety problems as an excuse, hinting that Jones would be fired if her performance did not improve.

What has Jones argued?

In her complaint, Debra Jones has claimed that she was being treated differently when she made errors, due to her disabilities. Jones has also alleged the new manager practiced “retaliation and discrimination” against her. Jones told the court that she suffered panic attacks after meetings with the two managers. She was later taken out of work to be treated for her disabilities. In March this year, her employer notified her to pick up her personal belongings at the office. Jones has alleged that the actions of the bank have led to lost wages and caused her emotional pain and mental anguish.

FAQs

 1 What did the complaint allege?

The complaint filed by Debra Jones claimed that her manager placed a Chucky doll in her chair despite being aware of her fear of dolls and other health issues.

2 Is Debra Jones demanding compensation?

Yes, she is demanding compensation for lost wages, emotional pain and mental anguish. The exact amount was not specified in the documents obtained by People.

3 Where did Debra Jones work?

She used to work at Truist bank, a North Carolina-based bank.