By On behalf of The Law Offices of Roderick V. Hannah, Esq., P.A.
Safelite AutoGlass operates businesses throughout Florida and other locations in the South. Now, that company is facing an employee rights claim from a worker who claims that he was wrongfully terminated after being subject to discrimination at his work site in North Carolina because of a disability. The man was refused reasonable accommodation, he says, because he was missing three fingers from his left hand.
The man was employed with the company from just one month, from May to June 2013. When he was hired, he was given a uniform that included aprons and gloves. The gloves obviously did not fit the man upon receipt because of his physical condition. Instead of providing accommodations for the man, the company allegedly continued to require him to wear the ill-fitting gloves. Despite his disability, the man had passed the certification test without any problems.
When the man attempted to use his own gloves — which had been properly fitted to his needs — he was told that he was required to wear Safelite-approved gloves only. Further, the man was reprimanded unfairly by his supervisors because he refused to wear the ill-fitting and unsafe gloves. Those gloves could have caused serious problems if they were caught in machinery or equipment.
Employers are required by law — the Americans with Disabilities Act, among others — to provide reasonable accommodation for their workers. Attorneys may be able to help victims determine whether their personal experiences could constitute Florida employment law violations. Those who have been wronged by illegal workplace discrimination deserve compensation for their woes.
In this case, the plaintiff was allegedly fired after he made a small, fixable mistake while replacing a windshield on a customer’s vehicle. Supervisors told him that he did not fit well with the requirements of the job. Now, he is seeking $10 million in compensatory and punitive damages for his workplace discrimination experience. The company has not yet responded to the complaint.
Source: glassBYTES.com, “Former Technician Trainee Sues Safelite Claiming Wrongful Termination under Americans with Disabilities Act” Jenna Reed, Apr. 03, 2014
