A lawsuit against Bridgeport, Connecticut-based People’s United Bank accuses senior executives in the Massachusetts market of a wide range of discriminatory actions, including denying loan deals as a way to damage employees’ performance and affect their compensation.

The lawsuit, which was first reported by the Boston Business Journal, was filed Friday in federal court by five former employees and one current employee. The lawsuit alleges discrimination based on race, religion, gender, age and sexual orientation. It also claims that the bank retaliated against employees for complaining about discriminatory behavior and a toxic workplace.

The lawsuit claims that the People’s United’s human resources department knew about the discriminatory and retaliatory actions.

Those accused in the lawsuit include Anna Greener, the retail director and senior vice president for growth, and Patrick Sullivan, the Massachusetts market president.

The allegations focus on Greener, who joined People’s United in 2017 and previously worked at several banks, including Citizens Bank and Eastern Bank. According to the lawsuit, Greener had faced discrimination complaints at Eastern Bank.

Among those claiming discrimination is Renee Welch, who is African American and still works at People’s United. She was hired in late 2016 to manage People’s United’s new Copley Square branch.

The lawsuit alleges that Greener mocked Welch’s appearance and said, “[a] black woman should not be managing Copley,” and that Welch “would be a better fit in Chelsea,” where she was later transferred.

Welch’s compensation package was tied to in part to the number and size of new loans. Greener would refuse to approve loan deals for Welch, according to the lawsuit, including those that could have “brought in substantial revenues to the bank.”

The lawsuit also alleges, “Greener moved money out of the Copley Square branch and temporarily transferred or ‘parked’ it at another branch. This hurt Welch reputationally, as it made it appear as if she had not been as successful as in fact she had been. It also negatively affected Welch’s performance-based bonuses.”

The five former employees also allege discrimination involving Greener and other senior managers, including discrimination based on race, gender, religion and sexual orientation. The lawsuit claims that employees were retaliated against for complaining about discrimination, including denying loan packages to affect income.

In an email to Banker & Tradesman through a spokesperson, People’s United’s CEO Jack Barnes said the bank could not comment on the specifics of pending litigation, adding that “we deny all allegations of discrimination and intend to vigorously defend against the lawsuit.”

“We take all allegations of discrimination seriously and have a zero-tolerance policy for discrimination of any form in the workplace,” Barnes said. “Diversity is recognized as a key driver in the long-term success of People’s United Bank, and we embrace the differences and individuality of our employees and customers, who share different backgrounds, ethnicities, races, and sexual orientations.”