In the state of Minnesota, it is illegal to discriminate based on disability. This applies to a variety of situations including education, employment, business, housing and public services. Disability discrimination may occur when the person is treated unfairly because of his or her disability. It is important to realize though that not all unfair acts are necessarily illegal.
A 50-year-old former employee was recently successful in his disability discrimination lawsuit against The Manhattan Club hotel. The man says that while he was working as an assistant office manager, he had earned the Exemplary Manager Award along with two raises.
In 2008, the man was diagnosed with HIV. Because he was required to take a medication that made him drowsy, he asked to not work night shifts. Even though he gave his supervisor a doctor’s note, his request was turned down, and it was even suggested that he quit.
After he filed a complaint with Human Resources, he started receiving critical evaluations and was eventually fired in 2011. His lawyer feels that the man was fired as retaliation for his complaint filing, something the law protects against. He was recently awarded more than a half million dollars in his discrimination lawsuit; $347,500 in punitive damages and $185,000 in compensatory damages.
If you have been the victim of discrimination in the workplace because of a disability, you may wish to speak with an attorney experienced in employment law. A lawyer can review your case and help guide you through the entire legal process.
Source: Edge on the Net, “Man with HIV Gets $500G for Wrongful Termination by Manhattan Hotel,” Winnie McCroy, Mar. 17, 2014