Worker with mild epilepsy sues Rumsey Electric Co. over wrongful termination claims
The Pennsylvania Record
A Darby man is suing his former company alleging infringement of disability law in 2014.
Jerome Walker sued Rumsey Electric Co. of Conshohocken in the U.S. District Court Eastern District of Pennsylvania on Aug 29, claiming failure to abide by the Americans with Disabilities Act in September 2014 when it dismissed him upon discovering that he had a health condition.
According to the complaint, Walker was hired on or about March 24, 2014, via a temporary placement agency. The suit states that Walker, who suffers from mild epilepsy, performed his job adequately and was made a full-time warehouse associate on or about June 30, 2014. Walker, who is under a treatment regimen, contends that he has not experienced any seizures since February 2014.
The suit states that when Walker notified his supervisor of a doctor’s appointment on or about Sept. 3, 2014, he was instructed to bring a doctor’s note of verification back to work with him; was then required by human resources to provide a work release from his neurologist on or about Sept. 5; and was not permitted to work as of Sept. 8 pending receipt of the release.
When paperwork was finally faxed clearing Walker to work on Sept. 19, the suit states, he was terminated. The suit quotes his employer as saying, “We don’t think you’re a good fit.”
The Advocate
A Lafayette advocate for people with disabilities has filed suit against a local restaurant without parking spaces, restroom facilities or entry points accessible for people in wheelchairs.
Liam Doyle, who serves on the city-parish Awareness Committee for Citizens With Disabilities, filed the federal lawsuit Thursday against Bisbano’s Pizza Parlor after he said efforts to work with the restaurant on making accessibility improvements were unsuccessful.
UNK reaches historic agreement with DOJ in therapy dorm dog dispute
Nebraska Radio Network
The University of Nebraska-Kearney has reached an historic agreement with the Department of Justice that applies the Fair Housing Act to colleges for the first time.
UNK reached a $140,000 settlement in a lawsuit stemming from 2011 when the university denied a student’s request to have a therapy dog in a dorm to help her cope with anxiety.
Strange 'service' animals show up in odd places
The Herald
A woman and a kangaroo wearing a diaper walk into a McDonald's, and the woman says: He's my service kangaroo.
No, it's not the setup for a joke. But it may be a sign of the times.
Is handcuffing special needs kids acceptable discipline? The officer who did faces backlash
East Idaho News
A federal lawsuit has been filed after a resource officer on different occasions shackled two children who have disabilities, using handcuffs to secure their upper arms behind their backs as a form of discipline.
"The lawsuit asks the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky to declare the officers’ alleged handcuffing of children with disabilities to be unconstitutional and a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act," according to The Washington Post. "The lawsuit also seeks to force the sheriff’s office in Kenton County, just south of Cincinnati, to stop using 'unnecessary and excessive physical restraint' on children."
Jaggar DeMarco: Campus needs more accommodations for students with disabilities
GW Hatchet
Being ADA compliant isn’t the same as being fully accessible to all students with disabilities. GW has a responsibility to realize this unfortunate disconnect and be more proactive in addressing some of the access needs on campus.