VAN NUYS — A former recreation supervisor for the city of Calabasas is suing his ex-employer, alleging his 2024 termination was tied to his taking time off for gender-transition surgery.

Raine Kishimoto’s Van Nuys Superior Court lawsuit allegations include gender identity discrimination, retaliation for medical leave, wrongful termination, hostile work environment and intentional infliction of emotional distress. He seeks unspecified compensatory and punitive damages.

The Calabasas city attorney did not immediately reply to a request for comment on the suit brought Wednesday.

Kishimoto, 47, of Granada Hills was hired as a part-time lifeguard in June 1996. He maintained a positive employment record and over the years received many positive work reviews, the suit states.

But attitudes toward Kishimoto changed in 2017 when he began his gender transition as he allegedly was subjected to scrutiny and discipline not imposed on other employees, including from one manager with a “well-documented history of inappropriate behavior,” the suit states. The manager’s behavior included frequent yelling, profanity and hostile outbursts at weekly meetings, but she nonetheless was promoted with a raise, the suit alleges.

Kishimoto’s complaints about the other manager drew indifference from top management and he was told only that, “We are working on it,” according to the suit. Part-time employees who committed repeated misconduct also received little to no discipline compared to the plaintiff, the suit further states.

Kishimoto notified his supervisor in spring 2024 of his planned surgery and he arranged for matters to run smoothly at work while he was away, the suit states. But when he returned to the job last July he was immediately targeted by being falsely accused of workplace disruptions related to lifeguard shift scheduling and he was fired in December, the suit states.

The timing of Kishimoto losing his job only months after his medical leave for his gender surgery “confirms pretextual termination motivated by discrimination and retaliation,” according to the suit, which further states that Kishimoto has suffered lost wages and emotional distress.

A case management conference is scheduled for Aug. 18.