HARRISBURG – A man is suing his employer alleging he was retaliated against due to his disabilities.
John Gallagher filed a complaint on Jan. 6 in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania against MacLane Eastern Inc., doing business as MacLane PA, citing violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act and retaliation.
Gallagher was employed by the defendant from December 2012 until September 2014, during which time he worked as a processor for the inventory department, the complaint states. Gallagher says he suffers from health concerns and requested time off using the Family Medical Leave Act form from his doctor. After submitting the form, the defendant allegedly denied it for an incorrect detail, and then began to question Gallagher about his condition, the suit states.
Over the next few months, the plaintiff was questioned about his condition, told to submit more information and criticized for the stress he was experiencing, the suit claims. When he tried to return to work, the suit states that he was told he could not without a doctor's note in August 2014. The complaint states he was terminated the next month.
Gallagher seeks punitive damages, actual damages, court costs and attorneys' fees. He is represented by W. Charles Sipio and W. Charles Sipio of Kolman Ely PC in Penndel.
U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania Case number 3:16-CV-00025