DETROIT (Legal Newsline) — The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has announced a lawsuit against New Image Building Services Inc., alleging disability discrimination.
EEOC claims that the company unlawfully discharged an employee due to his scoliosis, a condition that affects the spine. When a manager told the employee he would be moving to a position that required the use of a vacuum pack on his back, he allegedly told her about his scoliosis. In response, she fired him, EEOC alleges.
Purported conduct of this nature violates the Americans with Disabilities Act. EEOC seeks monetary compensation for the fired employee, including back pay and compensatory damages for emotional distress. The agency will also seek punitive damages.
“Firing an employee because of a disability violates federal law,” EEOC trial attorney Nedra Campbell said. “There is no justification for simply throwing an employee out on the street without even trying to work out a solution to a serious problem such as this spinal condition.”
EEOC filed the lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan.