Lance Medich, a former employee of a prominent nonprofit organization in Pennsylvania, has filed a lawsuit alleging wrongful termination due to disability discrimination. The complaint was lodged on October 10, 2024, in the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County against the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau. Medich claims that his dismissal was rooted in bias against his disabilities, which include Lumbar Spinal Stenosis, Arthritis, Diabetes, and Peripheral Neuropathy.
According to the complaint filed by Lance Medich through his attorneys Kyle H. Steenland and Erik M. Yurkovich from The Workers' Rights Law Group LLP, the plaintiff began working for the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau as a Regional Organization Director in February 2022. His role involved organizing member meetings and acting as a liaison across seven counties in Pennsylvania. Despite being diagnosed with several debilitating conditions prior to employment, Medich asserts that he performed his duties diligently until he was allegedly subjected to discriminatory practices by his employer.
Medich recounts that during his tenure, he faced belittlement and humiliation from both members of the organization and management due to his disabilities. A pivotal moment occurred when Medich requested reasonable accommodations for his conditions—a request met with hostility by Chief Administrative Officer Todd Bailey. Subsequently, Medich experienced heightened scrutiny from management which culminated in an unjust performance improvement plan (PIP) following an exacerbation of his disabilities at a company meeting.
The lawsuit alleges violations under both federal and state laws—the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act (PHRA). It argues that Medich was qualified for his position and capable of performing essential job functions with reasonable accommodations which were denied or ignored by the defendant. The complaint details how these actions led to an adverse employment decision—his termination—which Medich believes was directly linked to discrimination based on his disabilities.
In seeking justice, Lance Medich is requesting several forms of relief from the court: declaratory judgment recognizing violations of ADA and PHRA; liquidated damages; pre-judgment and post-judgment interest; attorney's fees; costs incurred during litigation; injunctive relief; and any other equitable remedies deemed appropriate by the court.
Representing Lance Medich are attorneys Kyle H. Steenland and Erik M. Yurkovich from The Workers' Rights Law Group LLP based in Pittsburgh, PA. As this case proceeds through legal channels under Case ID: 2044c6bf9a0f6961d868d3cd791fc5015721bce6, it will be presided over by judges within the jurisdiction of Allegheny County's Court of Common Pleas.