PHILADELPHIA — A former employee is suing a West Chester school, alleging it failed to create a work space that accommodated her mental disabilities.
Susan M. Boris filed a lawsuit Feb. 9 in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania against Nobel Learning Communities Inc., individually, and Laurel Springs School in West Chester, alleging violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act (PHRA).
According to the complaint, Boris accepted a position as an admission sales representative at Laurel Springs School in February 2015, with training commencing March 9, 2015. The suit says the plaintiff suffers from agoraphobia and claustrophobia, and during the interview process, she observed her work area was open and had windows.
However, on her first day of training, the lawsuit states, the plaintiff was placed in a closed room with several other people with no windows or fixed openings.
The plaintiff sent an e-mail to her immediate supervisor and the director of development after the second day of training, asking to be moved to a room with windows, the suit says.
Boris alleges she only received one e-mail back and was unable to return to work due to anxiety. She received a “right to sue” letter Dec. 24, 2015 from the EEOC for what she alleges is a case of discrimination against a mental disability.
Boris seeks reinstatement to her previous position, back salary, wages, fringe benefits, front pay, prejudgment interest, compensatory damages, punitive damages, attorney fees, costs, disbursements and a trial by jury. She is represented by attorney Bruce Preissman of Feasterville.
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania Case number 2:16-cv-00632-RK