Hearing-Impaired HR Director Wins Discrimination Lawsuit Against City

No one should have to worry about facing discrimination in the workplace due to a disability they may have. There are various federal and state laws that protect people from illegal discrimination in the workplace, but that does not always guarantee that discrimination will not occur. At the Law Office of Rachel Ambats, PLLC, our New York employment discrimination attorney wants to discuss a recent case in which a hearing-impaired human resources director settled a discrimination lawsuit against the city.

He is hearing-impaired and faced discrimination

The NYC Department of Investigation has agreed to settle a lawsuit filed by Richard Natofsky, a career civil servant who is hearing impaired. Natofsky claims that he was unfairly demoted in 2014 when he explained to the Chief of Staff of the Department, Susan Pagoda, that he needed people to face him without covering their mouths when speaking. He says that she “shook her head in disgust and rolled her eyes” when he made the request. Natofsky also claims that Pagoda demanded that he talk faster and that he did not speak clearly enough.

Natofsky saw his salary cut from $129,000 to $68,466 after he was demoted in 2014, and he left the Department that year.

The city has agreed to settle the lawsuit for $870,000. An attorney for Natofsky says that “This settlement is an eventual vindication not just for our disabled client, Richard Natofsky, but for all disabled employees in the workplace. It is our hope that it sends a message that disabled persons should not be treated any worse and that there are significant consequences for such unlawful conduct.”

Employment discrimination is against the law

Both state and federal laws protect employees from discrimination in the workplace. Relating to the case mentioned above, employers are barred from discriminating against a person based on their disabilities. The US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) says that disability discrimination occurs “when an employer or other entity covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act, as amended, or the Rehabilitation Act, as amended, treats a qualified individual with a disability who is an employee or applicant unfavorably because she has a disability.”

Let us help with your NY discrimination case

If you or somebody you love has faced discrimination in the workplace due to your disability, contact an attorney as soon as possible. At the Law Office of Rachel Ambats, PLLC, our New York employment discrimination attorney is ready to get to work on your case as soon as possible. If you have been illegally discriminated against in the workplace, you could be entitled to various types of compensation. This includes:

·        Compensation for pain and suffering damages

·        Front and back pay you may be owed

·        Loss of future income

·        Reinstatement to your job (if applicable)

·        Promotions or raises if they were denied due to discrimination

·        Court costs and legal fees

·        Pain and suffering damages

·        Possible punitive damages against the employer

You do not have to go through this alone. You can contact us for a free consultation.