Tampa EEOC Obtains $405,083 Jury Verdict in Disability Discrimination Lawsuit Involving Senior Living Employer
Earlier this year, news of an approximately $405,000 jury verdict in a Tampa disability discrimination lawsuit brought by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) hit headlines, and Tampa-area employees are wondering what their rights are if they are discriminated against based on their disability. According to the EEOC Newsroom, The Princess Martha, a senior living facility and employer, and its management company TMJ Property Management and TJM Properties, Inc., “violated federal law when they denied a reasonable accommodation and refused to hire a veteran who applied for a job.” The EEOC explains that in its federal lawsuit against the employer, “EEOC presented evidence at trial showing that the applicant disclosed to The Princess Martha’s hiring manager that she is a veteran with post-traumatic stress syndrome and took medication to treat the condition, which would cause a drug test to fail. Thereafter, the applicant took the required drug test and made repeated attempts to provide proof of her legally prescribed medications, but The Princess Martha made no attempts to accommodate her and revoked her job offer. At trial, a top management official admitted that The Princess Martha submitted false information to the EEOC.” The employer’s conduct was unlawful, the EEOC alleged, and violates the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). In the end, the Tampa jury of eight jurors “returned a unanimous verdict finding that the applicant had a disability, disclosed the disability to The Princess Martha, and that the facility refused to accommodate her in the application process.” As a result, the jury in the case awarded $405,083, broken down as $5,083 in back pay, $50,000 in compensatory damages, and $350,000 in punitive damages. Beatriz Andre, assistant regional attorney of the EEOC’s Miami District Office said of the case, “The jury sent a strong message to employers to comply with the ADA’s requirement to provide reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees.”
Violations of the Americans with Disability Act (ADA) In Tampa
As the recent case demonstrates, Tampa employees and job applicants that are discriminated against based on their disability have rights and options under Florida and federal laws. If a person is discriminated against based on their disability in the workplace, or denied a job based on their disability, they have the right to assert a claim for compensation. These cases can be fact-intensive and challenging, and strict statutes of limitation apply. Accordingly, it is important to speak with an experienced Tampa disability discrimination lawyer about your case as soon as possible, if you have been discriminated against in the workplace, denied an accommodation, or denied employment due to your disability.
Getting Legal Help in Tampa – Tampa Disability Discrimination Lawyer
If you are in the Tampa area and you need legal help with your disability discrimination case, contact the experienced Tampa disability discrimination lawyers at Florin Gray. The experienced Tampa disability discrimination lawyers at Florin Gray are here to help victims of workplace discrimination get compensation due to them. Contact Florin Gray today and speak with a lawyer about your case now.
Source:
eeoc.gov/newsroom/eeoc-wins-405083-jury-verdict-against-st-petersburg-senior-living-facility
