please help me-ada violations-harassament-work related discrimation
i been employed at a company that has over 600 employees in over 10 states.
as of late and after I placed a reasonable acomadation on file with this co. I have been harassed.
They have insulted me, cut hours,made sexual slurs,and even told me to sue them,and to look for employment elsewhere,I have had to put up with no wage increase in over 20 months, where other employees have recived wage increases and more hours than I, even tho the said employees have been with the co. less time. I have faced retalation,and forced to go home when I was able to work,resulting in loss wages. I have been denied medical apointments,to treat a life threating illness (HIV), I am with out funds,and need any help you may offer or tell me what to do or where to go. I belive they are planing to fire me.
thank you, james ostrowski
Answers (1)
What you are describing here is retaliation for requesting a reasonable accommodation. Under the ADA, if you suffer from a qualified disability your employer is required to reasonably accommodate you. However, you are required to ask for some accommodation before the onus falls on the employer to provide one. Therefore, requesting the accommodation as you have was a step toward preserving your rights under the ADA. As a result, any retaliatory conduct which the employer takes would arguably be illegal under the ADA.
I would immediately file charges with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, EEOC. In Chicago, the EEOC is located on the 28th floor of the Citibank building (which also houses Northwestern Trainstation) 500 W. Madison. You should also consider filing charges for disability discrimination and sexual harassment if that is what you are facing.
Be forewarned that the EEOC is overworked and complainants are occasionally asked not to file. You have a right to file your complaint and if you fail to do so, you will waive your rights under Federal Law.
You may also file with the Illinois Department of Human Rights for violations of the Illinois Human Rights Act. Again, in Chicago, the Department of Human Rights is located at 100 W. Randolph, 10th floor. This is the James Thompson Center (State of Illinois Building). They do not take charges on Fridays.
If you file with the Illinois Department of Human Rights, it will investigate and will either file a complaint with the Illinois Human Rights Commission or Dismiss your case. (There are other steps you can take at that time.) The EEOC on the other hand may try to mediate the situation for you and if it fails, even if it finds against you, you still retain the right to file a complaint in Federal Court.
posted by Aaron Maduff | Oct 12, 2001 03:16 AM [EST]
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