The filing claims HR questioned whether he even needed FMLA/ADA protections
A former Transamerica executive is suing the company, alleging it escalated his performance demands after he disclosed depression and suicidal thoughts.
Chad K. Butler, who served as Regional Vice President of Mutual Funds, filed suit on March 17 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Utah against Transamerica Life Insurance Company and Transamerica Capital, LLC, alleging violations of the Family and Medical Leave Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act (Butler v. Transamerica Capital, LLC, et al., No. 2:26-cv-00223).
According to court filings, Butler joined Transamerica on or about June 30, 2023, as a remote employee covering Utah, Oregon, and Idaho. He initially reported to a supervisor who, by his account, regularly praised his work. That changed in or around November 2023 when his reporting line shifted to Jared Guerin.
On or about March 12, 2024, Butler told Guerin via text message that he had depression and was "currently struggling with it more than usual." He alleges that almost immediately after this disclosure, Guerin overhauled his work expectations — requiring thirty in-person meetings per week, with at least fifteen booked at least two weeks in advance. Butler says these targets were not imposed on any of his similarly situated colleagues.
By June 2024, the situation had worsened. On June 12, Butler emailed Guerin: "Jared, I need to take some time off to figure out what is...
Grace Kang has worked as an attorney specializing in intellectual property and business law for 20 years, the last 16 in the greater Los Angeles area. A graduate of Stanford Law School, she said h...