Just last week, a major east coast financial company agreed to settle a disability discrimination lawsuit. The lawsuit was brought by the Equal Employment and Opportunity Commission (EEOC) on behalf of a hearing-impaired former worker. The lawsuit alleged that she was denied a reasonable accommodation for her disability. The former employee, Linda Hewett, had worked for the bank as a senior teller and was denied a transfer to a vacant position for which she was qualified. As a result, she was forced to resign from her job because she was no longer able to perform her duties due to her progressive severe hearing loss. The EEOC alleged she was denied the reasonable accommodation of a reassignment. The lawsuit recently settled for $24,000.

Disability discrimination is a significant problem in the American workforce. In 2009 alone, the EEOC received over 21,000 allegations of disability discrimination. The federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) applies to employers with 15 or more employees. This act prohibits disability discrimination against any qualified individual with a disability. A ‘qualified individual’ is one who is able to complete the essential elements of the position with or without reasonable accommodation. In addition to a prohibition of disability discrimination, it is also illegal for an employee or applicant to be harassed because he has a disability, had a disability in the past, or is believed to have a physical or mental impairment that is not transitory.

If you have been a victim of disability discrimination or harassment based on your disability, get help immediately. Disability discrimination is not only wrong, it is against the law. The skilled attorneys at Law Offices of David H. Greenberg can walk you through the process of asserting your rights. You can reach us at 1-888-204-1014 for a free consultation. You can also visit us at www.discriminationattorney.com to learn more.