GEORGIA – A 74-year-old female front-desk clerk, represented by Jim Garrity, has filed a federal employment discrimination lawsuit, alleging she was fired by a Thomasville, Georgia, hotel because of her age and disability. She needed to sit periodically due to her disability, which significantly limited her walking ability, setting her apart from much younger co-workers.
The lawsuit asserts that while the hotel initially allowed her to use a stool as an accommodation, it revoked the accommodation when executives from the hotel chain were expected to visit. Court filings contend that local management were concerned the executives might see the stool as unsightly and unprofessional, and so told the clerk she now had to stand during working hours.
Further, the lawsuit alleges that the clerk told management she could not work without the stool. Enforcement of the new rule would force her to stand for hours, severely impacting her condition. This change made continued employment unfeasible for the woman. Consequently, it led to the termination of her employment, prompting the discrimination lawsuit against the hotel for failing to accommodate her disability.
Employers are required by law to provide reasonable accommodations to disabled employees in virtually all circumstances. The only exception is where the accommodation would be exceedingly costly or fundamentally alter the nature of the business.
Categories: Accommodations, ADA Retaliation, Age Discrimination, Disability Discrimination, Uncategorized
Jim Garrity, Esq. - Employee Rights Lawyer 
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