SCRANTON — An Etters woman is suing a civil engineering firm, citing alleged disability discrimination and wrongful termination.
Kari Lawman filed a complaint on Oct. 16 in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania against Herbert, Rowland & Grubic Inc., alleging violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
According to the complaint, on May 8, 2017, Kari Lawman notified defendant's Human Resources representative that she suffered from a major depressive episode that required an immediate leave of absence to undergo inpatient psychiatric treatment, per her physician's recommendation. However while undergoing treatment for her disability, defendant allegedly terminated her employment, citing extensive correspondence with her psychiatrist remarking that it had "no choice but to terminate her employment."
The plaintiff holds Herbert, Rowland & Grubic Inc. responsible because the defendant allegedly terminated plaintiff's employment on account of her disability or perceived disability in retaliation for her request an accommodation and out of an unlawful desire to avoid providing an accommodation to her anticipated recovery period.
The plaintiff requests a trial by jury and seeks judgment for back wages, front pay, and bonuses in an amount not less thank $150,000, plus punitive, compensatory, and exemplary damages, costs, prejudgment interest, and such other and further relief as is just and equitable under the circumstances.
She is represented by Michael Murphy of Murphy Law Group LLC in Philadelphia.
The U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania Case No. is 1:18-cv-01999-JEJ.