Shegerian & Associates: California Man Files Suit Against Disney, Alleging Discrimination, Harassment, and Wrongful Termination
LOS ANGELES, June 19, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- A former 57-year-old African-American employee of Disney has filed a lawsuit claiming he is a victim of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation on the basis of his veteran status, age, disability, and race after Disney abruptly terminated his 32-year career.
Douglas Keith Harris' lawsuit seeks an unspecified amount of compensatory and punitive damages against Disney in Los Angeles, California.
The lawsuit alleges that veteran Harris' 32-year exemplary career suddenly ended when he was falsely accused of brandishing a gun to a coworker at work, despite no evidence he actually had a gun at work.
According to the complaint, which was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, Harris' younger superiors initially would inappropriately mock Harris for being deaf in one ear and often told him, "You should retire." Despite his coworkers finding Harris' six-foot three appearance "intimidating," Harris claims that his supervisors abused their power over him by changing his schedule to the graveyard shift upon his return from a surgery.
By January 2020, Harris' complaints about the way he was being treated were silenced when he was accused of bringing a gun to work. Rather than speak to him first, Disney called the police to search Harris' car and belongings. The police did not find any weapons. Ignoring Harris' pleas that he never brought a gun to work and does not have one, Disney then suspended him. Harris alleges that he was treated like a criminal by Disney and suffered extreme emotional distress. He was fired a week later.
His lawsuit alleges discrimination, harassment, and retaliation based on race, veteran status, age, and disability, as well as wrongful termination and defamation, among other claims.
"Mr. Harris was a loyal and dedicated employee for 32 years until he lost his career over one unfounded accusation," said Carney Shegerian, an employee rights activist and founder of Los Angeles-based employee rights firm, Shegerian and Associates. "Disney's actions exhibit a work environment that condones the very same stereotyping and bias that ruins the lives of many Americans, and there is no excuse for such misconduct. Disney must be held fully responsible for the career-ending discrimination and false statements alleged in Mr. Harris' lawsuit."
About Shegerian & Associates:
Shegerian & Associates has won clients over $300 million in employment-based disputes and maintains a 98% success rate. We have offices in Los Angeles, San Diego, Riverside and New York.
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