Whether an employee is dealing with a permanent, temporary, new or old disability, Minnesota residents should understand their rights regarding their disability and employment. When an employee lives with a disability, they should not be mistreated due to this disability. Furthermore, if they experience employment discrimination based on this disability, they might have cause to file a suit.
It was recently reported that a former disabled employee of a Minnesota municipal utility company was awarded a settlement after they filed a cause of action for disability discrimination in the workplace. This action was filed after the former IT specialist claimed he was being harassed in the workplace shortly after he had his leg amputated in 2010.
Reports alleged that about a month after the procedure, the employer provided a new job description for the position of the employee. Prior to the amputation, the job involved and required very little physical labor, but the new description included the requirement to climb ladders, the ability to lift 50 pounds and the ability to crawl under tight spaces. Despite this new description, the man returned to work but was terminated a few months later.
This firing resulted in the discrimination lawsuit. The suit resulted in a settlement of $65,000, with the employer not admitting any wrongdoing. When a hostile work environment, harassment, mistreatment or a wrongful termination occurs and is based on discrimination, an employee could file a cause of action in order to recover compensation for the damages experienced from the incident.
Employment discrimination is not only a difficult event for employees to go through, but it could result in lost wages and other damages. In these matters it is crucial that employees understand that they have rights and options, making it important to seek advice about the steps that could take.
Source: Kare11.com, “Disabled employee gets $65,000 in discrimination suit,” Blake McCoy, Dec. 30, 2014
