PHILADELPHIA — A former Campbell Soup Company worker who tested positive for COVID-19 days after answering she was healthy on a screening form claims she was wrongfully terminated.
Monica Alvarez filed a complaint Aug. 19 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania against Campbell Soup Company doing business as Campbell's Snacks alleging disability discrimination, wrongful termination and other claims.
Alvarez began working for Campbell as a packer on April 11, 2005, and was promoted to machine operator and packing technician positions, according to her complaint. She alleges that her mother was treated at Gettysburg Hospital and was given a COVID-19 test with the treating physician suggesting her mother most likely did not have COVID due the results of her CT scan.
Alvarez claims that on May 12, 2020, she answered "no" to her pre-screening questions regarding having close contact with someone who tested positive. She further claims that the next day, her mother's COVID test came back positive and that on May 16, she also tested positive for COVID. Alvarez claims she was falsely accused of lying on her health screening and was terminated on June 3, 2020. Alvarez also claims Campbell regarded her as disabled and terminated her in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act.
Alvarez seeks monetary relief, interest, trial by jury and all other just relief. She is represented by David Koller of Koller Law LLC in Philadelphia.
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania case number 1:21-CV-01441-CCC