MODESTO, Calif. — A former employee of a Modesto thrift store said he was fired for having epilepsy, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday against the retailer. The suit was filed under the Americans With Disabilities Act, claiming this is a case of disability discrimination.
Chris Cherling worked as a stocker on the night shift, according to a news release from the EEOC, adding that he was illegally terminated from the position after he experienced mild seizures on the job.
“I was shocked that Buy-Rite Thrift Store fired me because of my epilepsy,” Cherling said in the written statement. “Prior to working for this company, I had performed the duties of a stocker and cashier successfully for 17 years at a grocery store, despite having mild seizures during work.”
The lawsuit asks for damages, including back pay and compensation for emotional distress — along with measures to prevent future discrimination, the EEOC said.
Source: KCRA.com
Note from EpilepsyU: We will attempt to follow this story since employment is a major issue to person with epilepsy and we get calls almost every week from someone who feels they were discriminated against at a job.
