Dollar General
FORT MYERS, Fla. – A Florida woman claims Dollar General violated federal law in terminating her employment after finding out she planned to leave for the military.
Plaintiff Mary Dianne Pinon filed her lawsuit in U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, Fort Myers Division.
In her five-page complaint, Pinon, a DeSoto County resident, accuses defendant Dolgencorp LLC, doing business as Dollar General Stores, of discriminating against her in violation of the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Act and retaliation, or USERRA.
She claims Dollar General employed her from May 26, 2025 through Aug. 24, 2025.
Before she was hired, Pinon claims she informed her employer that she intended to leave for military service and expected to ship out around September 2025.
However, her military ship date was later moved to December 2025.
During her employment, Pinon claims she needed time off for her military-related obligations, including attending MEPS and signing her Army enlistment contract.
Run by the U.S. Military Entrance Processing Command, MEPS acts as the final quality and eligibility check between civilian life and military service for all active-duty, Reserve, and National Guard recruits across every branch.
Pinon alleges she had been working 28 to 32 hours per week.
“After management became aware of Plaintiff’s military obligations and need for military-related leave, her work hours were significantly reduced,” her lawsuit states.
Her assistant manager, Desiree, allegedly told Pinon: “Don't let them fool you, the only reason they cut your hours is because you're leaving for the Army.”
“Desiree asked when Plaintiff was leaving, questioned what she would be doing, and stated, ‘You're not going to make it,’” the suit states.
On Aug. 24, 2025, Dollar General terminated Pinon’s employment without formal notice or explanation.
“Plaintiff discovered her termination after checking the online schedule and seeing that her name had been removed,” the complaint states.
Pinon alleges the company failed to comply with USERRA.
USERRA is a 1994 federal law that protects the civilian job and reemployment rights of active-duty and reserve military members, National Guard members, and certain disaster response personnel.
Specifically, it states, “[a] person who is a member of, applies to be a member of, performs, has performed, applies to perform, or has an obligation to perform service in a uniformed service shall not be denied initial employment, reemployment, retention in employment, promotion, or any benefit of employment by an employer on the basis of that membership, application for membership, performance of service, application for service, or obligation.”
Pinon also contends Dollar General retaliated against her for asserting her USERRA rights and for taking statutorily protected leave under the law.
She seeks back pay and benefits; prejudgment interest on back pay and benefits; front pay and benefits; liquidated damages; attorneys’ fees; and injunctive and declaratory relief.
Florin Gray in Lutz, Florida, is representing Pinon in the suit.
