Federal law is on the side of any disabled worker. Even though the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has been in place for more than three decades, we continue to learn about situations in which an employer has violated the rights of a disabled worker.
Consider the recent case in Missouri in which a 25-year-old blind woman claimed that the school district discriminated against her by not allowing her to bring her service dog to her new job. She filed the lawsuit against the school district in the St. Louis west-metro area in order to raise awareness of workplace discrimination faced by the disabled.
Claims the school district would not allow her to bring service dog to work
Blind since birth, Annie Donnell – like many disabled people — overcame many challenges in her life. The lawsuit against the school district represents the latest one.
Since her college years, Donnell has relied on a seeing eye dog. In 2021, the school district hired her as a paraprofessional who would be working with a blind student.
The school district allegedly claimed that it required prior notice of a person’s intentions to bring a service dog to the workplace. Donnell said she had done so.
However, ultimately, she claimed that the school district informed her that she would not be able to bring the service dog to school. As a result, she was forced into a different position. Another candidate without a disability then took her original paraprofessional position.
Employers cannot sidestep the ADA
The public will likely monitor the goings-on of this discrimination lawsuit. Matters like this one are important. If you are a disabled person and face workplace discrimination, stand up and protect yourself. Promptly file a complaint and contact an experienced and empathetic attorney. The ADA is in place for a reason. Companies and employers cannot sidestep this important law.