A medical center is in hot water after being sued in district court over the firing of a mentally disabled man back in 2008, according to local sources. Wisconsin residents are well aware that people with mental disabilities are perfectly capable of performing as outstanding employees, which makes this disability discrimination case all the more upsetting. Thankfully, the issue has been brought to the attention of a district court and legal recourse is being undertaken on behalf of the wronged employee.
The United States Equal Employee Opportunity Commission, acting on behalf of the male employee fired by the health insurer, has said the company was acting in defiance of the law when they dismissed the man in August of 2008. He was told he was unfit to do his job because his mental challenges led him to become lost, according to the lawsuit. The EEOC has argued that the man was unfairly discriminated against.
Apparently, upon being told he was not living up to his job requirements, the man requested additional training from a third-party organization which would have been supplied at no cost to the company. He was allegedly refused. By mid-August, he had been dismissed from his position. The court is still debating the case, and the EEOC is suing for an undisclosed amount.
In the modern era it is reprehensible to assume that a person is incapable of performing a task simply because of an existing disability. In Wisconsin and elsewhere, it is the responsibility of employers and business owners to work against disability discrimination in their workplaces. Anyone who feels they have been discriminated against should immediately seek out more information about their rights and best course of legal action.
Source: UTSanDiego.com, EEOC sues Kaiser for disability discrimination, Bradley J. Fikes, Sept. 6, 2013
