PITTSBURGH — A former restaurant worker alleges he was fired and denied reasonable accommodations for his mental health disability.
Joseph Macioszek filed a complaint March 7 in the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County against Thai Spoon LLC alleging discrimination and violation of the Pennsylvania Human Rights Act.
Macioszek began working as server and stir fry chef at Thai Spoon in Nov. 26, 2017, according to his complaint. He alleges that he suffered from depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress and after about eight months, he terminated his employment.
He claims in September of 2020, he went back to work for Thai Spoon as a dishwasher and fry cook and in October of 2020, he began to suffer a panic attack and asked a coworker to seek medical assistance for him. Macioszek claims his supervisor began to yell at him, ordered him to leave the premises and was then terminated for his mental health condition on Oct. 31, 2020.
He further claims that he informed Thai Spoon of his disability during his initial period of employment and that the restaurant failed to make any good faith effort to give him reasonable accommodations in violation of the Pennsylvania Human Rights Act.
Macioszek seeks monetary relief, trial by jury and all other just relief. He is represented by Joshua Ward of J.P. Ward & Associates LLC in Pittsburgh.