A Hanover woman claims she was discriminated against based on her disability while employed at a medical group practice.
Heather Kauffman filed a lawsuit Aug. 18 in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania against Gettysburg Family Practice Inc., citing violations of the American with Disabilities Act and the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act.
According to the complaint, Kauffman began working for the defendant as a receptionist in May 2014. The suit states she started being treated differently than non-disabled employees after she informed the defendant that she has been suffering from epilepsy since 1986. The defendant failed to provide her with reasonable accommodations for her disability, often moved her between different stations and assigned her tasks that it know she would be unable to perform. Moreover, Kauffman claims she was demoted from a full-time to a part-time employee in June 2014 without a justifiable reason, which led her to resign as she couldn't support herself with the reduced hours and saw no opportunities for full employment with the defendant as they denied her requested accommodations.
The plaintiff alleges, in the lawsuit, that the defendant's actions were done willfully and in reckless disregard for her rights and she experienced emotional distress, humiliation, mental anguish, damage to her reputation, worsening of her medical condition, and severe financial losses.
Kauffman seeks reinstatement, damages for past and future lost wages and benefits, damages for loss of career opportunities, punitive damages, attorney fees and court costs, and other relief deemed appropriate by the court.
The plaintiff is represented by attorney Amanda Snoke Dubbs in York.
U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania case number 1:15-cv-01614-JEJ