A former senior executive at Citi has filed a lawsuit against the global bank in London, alleging wrongful dismissal following a controversial internal job interview. The executive, who previously held the role of Senior Vice President in Citi’s Finance Solutions Group, claims her termination was unjust and rooted in discrimination against her medical conditions and age.
The dispute centers on a virtual job interview conducted in 2023. During the session, the executive was accused of making racially insensitive remarks about working with Indian colleagues. Citi alleges that her comments were inappropriate enough to warrant temporarily removing her from the virtual meeting. When the interview resumed, tensions reportedly remained high.
Shortly after the interview, Citi’s human resources team notified the executive that she was under investigation for possible misconduct. Roughly a month later, the bank terminated her employment.
In her legal complaint, the 55-year-old executive revealed she suffers from long COVID and menopausal symptoms, which she says cause memory lapses and cognitive difficulties. She argues that if she did make the alleged remarks, they were unintentional and likely a result of her health struggles rather than any discriminatory intent. She also emphasized her 12 years of service at Citi, stating that the company failed to account for her medical conditions during the disciplinary process.
The former executive said she was “shocked” by the accusations and unable to recall making the specific comments in question. Her legal team contends that her health conditions were unfairly used against her in the investigation and disciplinary decision.
Citi has stood by its actions, asserting that the internal inquiry was thorough, fair, and unbiased. Legal representatives for the bank argue that her health conditions neither excused nor contributed to the alleged conduct, and that the dismissal was in line with company policy.
The case highlights ongoing debates around workplace discrimination, health-related accommodations, and conduct accountability in large corporations.
Get it on Play Store