Florida employees have the right to receive reasonable accommodations when they get older and start developing associated medical conditions. Unfortunately, this is often not the case, and instead, workers are sometimes mocked and pressured to retire. A high school in another state is currently facing an employment discrimination lawsuit that was filed by a man who had an administrative position before he developed a medical disability.
Court documents indicate that the plaintiff -- a 60-year-old man with a record of teaching and administrative excellence -- was employed as the operations director at the high school. The plaintiff contends that he started to suffer medical problems that were later diagnosed as the onset of Parkinson's disease. The complaint alleges the executive director of the school ridiculed the man's medical disabilities to in public. Furthermore, as part of an attempt to get the plaintiff to retire, the defendant ordered his demotion to the dean of students.
The plaintiff asserts that his new position required a six-day work week and that the salary scale of his prior position was $25,000 more than what he was earning in his demoted capacity. Allegedly, the defendant also ordered the plaintiff to provide medical certification to prove his ability to continue working. The defense claims that the medical disabilities were not severe enough to have an adverse impact on the plaintiff's ability to carry out his duties.
The plaintiff alleges that he was ultimately fired after he lodged a complaint about discrimination. He asserts that the financial effects of losing his job, along with the emotional impact, was devastating at a time when the disease was progressing and becoming more debilitating. Under the law in Florida and elsewhere, workers are protected against employment discrimination, and victims may seek recovery of damages. These lawsuits can be complicated, and in many cases, they are best navigated by an experienced employment law attorney.
Source: eastbaytimes.com, "Clayton Valley Charter accused of making fun of employee with Parkinson's, then firing him", Joyce Tsai, Oct. 21, 2016