GILROY, Calif. – A South Bay woman believes she was fired from her job with the postal service because her family member died of COVID-19.

“I really enjoy it, you know. I had a lot of fun… you know meeting new people and learning about the system,” said Ria Silva, who goes by the name, Jaz

But a month into a new job at the U.S. Post office location in Gilroy came to a sudden and abrupt end back in March when she was called into her supervisor’s office.

“Basically he was like who’s this? And I said it’s my wife, why? And then he showed me the article,” Silva describes.

The article, Silva recalls, featured her wife, Stacey talking about losing her father, Gary Young, to COVID-19 days before her encounter with her supervisor.

Silva says her manager sent her home and later that day was contacted by a nurse, who evaluated her for symptoms.

She says despite none being found, she was fired a week later even though she’d never had previous issues at work such as a warning or a write-up.

Silva said that she believes her sexual orientation played a role in the firing and that while she wants her job back so she can contribute to her household, she would prefer to be transferred to another location out of fear of retaliation.

source: USPS firing draws controversy