Protecting The Rights Of Employees In The Workplace

I represented Harry, an airline mechanic removed from the workforce by a company doctor after learning that Harry had a fatal genetic condition. Even though Harry’s genetic disease was progressive, it developed slowly. It did not impact Harry’s ability to perform his job duties other than precluding him from working at heights. I was able to get Harry back to work at the airline with a financial settlement for his claim under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). He continued for more than ten years before retiring with full benefits.

Ann Warner was a paraprofessional for the Aurora school district who suffered a severe injury to her wrist after a student assaulted her. After several surgeries, she was able to return to work. However, she was required to wear a brace and could not lift more than a few pounds. Fortunately, her job did not require her to perform heavy lifting. However, after the school district hired a new administrator, Ann was fired because the administrator believed she could not perform her duties due to her injury. I took her case to trial, and she received a verdict in her favor for violations of the ADA. She successfully worked at a different school district in the same capacity.

Another client of mine, Hilton Ridley, was a manager at a large national discount warehouse. Hilton complained to upper management about what he felt was racially discriminatory treatment. Shortly afterward, he was demoted for a safety violation and transferred to a different location. Within weeks he was written up three times for petty rule infractions. The last one placed him on a notice that his job was in jeopardy. Seeing the writing on the wall, he resigned. A federal jury in Philadelphia held he had been discharged in retaliation for his race discrimination complaint under Title VII. The jury awarded him $200,000 due to Hilton’s suffering of emotional distress.