A former coach at a Florida university recently filed a workplace discrimination suit against the institution. According to the workplace discrimination claim, the university behaved in a discriminatory way toward him after he revealed that he suffered from multiple sclerosis. He alleges that he was then terminated after complaining about how he was treated by the school's officials.
The man who filed the claim is Condric Sanders, who was an assistant coach for the men's basketball team at Florida A&M University. He received his multiple sclerosis diagnosis in 2013. After being diagnosed, he alleges that he was kept separate from his team when they went on trips and was not allowed to have any say in team affairs. In addition, the former coach said he was kept from scouting and was was not chosen for a promotion because of his illness.
After being asked by the then-head coach for the days he would need off for doctor's appointments, the man says that he realized that his illness was an issue for his employer. The man filed a disability discrimination charge with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. He was fired less than one month later, which he believes was retaliatory.
It is unlawful for an employer to discriminate against a worker in Florida. In the same way, companies are not legally allowed to fire employees for reporting discrimination to the authorities. If evidence exists that an employer has committed these acts, the allegedly wronged employee reserves the right to file a workplace discrimination lawsuit against his or her employer. Various outcomes could result from a successfully fought claim, depending on the specifics of the case. Outcomes may include back pay or even reinstatement to a position.
Source: tallahassee.com, "Former FAMU basketball coach sues for discrimination", Sean Rossman, Oct. 27, 2014