A Kentucky man was awarded $450,000 by a jury after suing his employer for celebrating his birthday; he had asked them not to. The man had reportedly requested that they not celebrate his birthday due to bad childhood memories associated with birthday parties because of his parents' divorce. The man worked for Gravity Diagnostics.
After a panic attack from the initial celebration, and a second panic attack in a meeting where he was chastised about the first one, the man was fired. He then sued for discrimination against a disability.
While it's wrong for an employer to neglect the wishes of an employee, especially in regards to mental health, I can't help but wonder if this man was fit to attain the job in the first place? Gravity Diagnostics' CEO released an interesting statement saying that the decision sets the precedent that without actual physical violence, workplace violence is acceptable, and claimed that it was her other employees who were the real victims. This statement would seem to imply malicious components to the panic attacks.
On top of this, $300,000 of the suit were for emotional damages, and $150,000 for lost wages. $150,00 in lost wages? That's a pretty high salary, yet he was unable to withstand the mental stress of a birthday? I can't help but feel like perhaps he was not the best fit for his position.
All of that being said, I am not privy to the details of the trial, and seeing as it lasted only two days with a quick decision, there would appear to be significant validity to the suit. All I know is, eBaum's World better not celebrate my next birthday, or there will be hell to pay.
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