Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani Sacramento Partner Allison Ross, Partner Bart Blechschmidt, Partner Justine Kilpatrick, and Associate Danielle Cruz, with the assistance of Paralegal Karen Manriquez and Case Assistant Megan Hamner, obtained a full arbitration award on behalf of the firm’s client, a healthcare provider network.
The plaintiff alleged eight separate causes of action against the healthcare provider network and her former supervisor, including wrongful termination, disability discrimination, retaliation, and failure to accommodate a disability under the Fair Employment and Housing Act. She claimed that, while employed by GRSM’s client from 2018 until her resignation in 2022, she was discriminated against for her back injury, mistreated for taking medical leave, and harassed due to her need for prescribed pain medication.
However, the defense team demonstrated that the plaintiff’s performance issues, dishonesty during the accommodation process, and refusal to accept a reasonable offer to work remotely for a portion of the week were the key reasons for the breakdown of any potential resolution. The defense further established that the employer had made reasonable accommodations throughout her employment and that the plaintiff’s claims lacked credibility.
Ultimately, the arbitrator issued a final award in favor of the employer, ruling that the plaintiff’s allegations of discrimination, wrongful termination, and failure to accommodate were unfounded. The defense showed that the plaintiff had voluntarily resigned to accept a higher-paying job, rather than due to discriminatory actions or retaliation. Additionally, the arbitrator found that the employer acted within its rights to deny certain requests and that the plaintiff’s claims of harassment and mistreatment lacked merit.
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