FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Employee Files a Complaint against Ann Taylor Retail, Inc. for Disability Discrimination
Woman, diagnosed with scoliosis and back arthritis, offered no accommodation and wrongfully terminated.
Pittsburgh, PA, June 12, 2017 – Kraemer, Manes & Associates LLC “KM&A” has filed a complaint for disability discrimination against Ann Taylor Retail, Inc., for the Western District of Pennsylvania.
The Plaintiff, a woman employed for almost five years with Ann Taylor Retail, Inc., reported her diagnosis of scoliosis and back arthritis to her supervisor. Her supervisor dismissed the disabilities and expected the same level of lifting and physical movement. Plaintiff faced reprimanding when she couldn’t work a 40-hour week due to severe back pain. Three months after the disability diagnosis, Plaintiff suffered a sinus illness that caused more physical problems. Once again, the supervisor dismissed the disabilities.
“Push the heavy mannequins if you aren’t able to lift them.” Plaintiff’s supervisor advised her when Plaintiff could no longer lift mannequins due to back pain caused by her disability. Supervisor’s unwillingness to offer any reasonable accommodation to Plaintiff neglects key components in protections provided by employment law to employees with disabilities.
During an audit of Plaintiff’s store, supervisor noted an incorrect shipping payment on Plaintiff’s employee discounted item. Plaintiff received the shipping cost from other colleagues, but she requested the correct cost from her supervisor and Loss Prevention department. Instead, the supervisor and Loss Prevention representative subjected Plaintiff to a meeting where they accused Plaintiff of stealing. Despite presenting the receipt for the “stolen” item and attempting to discover the actual shipping cost to rectify the situation, Plaintiff was fired, only four months after disability diagnosis.
Ann Taylor Retail, Inc. appears to be covering up a case of disability discrimination. After all, this well-known company failed to enter into conversation about reasonable accommodation and retaliated against Plaintiff for requiring accommodation by firing her.
Full text of this complaint, as filed with the District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, is available at docket no: 2:17-cv-00751-LPL
Kraemer, Manes & Associates LLC is an employment law firm with principal offices in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, serving all counties in Pennsylvania, focusing on employment law, business law, litigation, and civil issues. KM&A clients include employees, small businesses, parties in litigation, and people with a variety of legal issues.
For more information about this case, contact Christi Wallace at 412-626-5575 or at cw@lawkm.com.
NOTICE: All information contained in this statement comes from the Complaint which has been filed as a public record with the court. As dedicated civil rights attorneys, we strongly believe in the public value of telling our clients’ stories: violators can be held accountable, and other silent victims can feel empowered to stand up for their legal rights. Although we make every attempt to verify our clients’ claims, note that the defendant is expected to oppose our client’s position, and the court has not ruled one way or the other as of the date of this statement.
