California grocery store fired Valley worker who needed medical leave. Now they must pay her
A supermarket chain with several locations in the San Joaquin Valley must pay out $100,000 in a discrimination lawsuit, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission announced Tuesday.
A deli clerk with a disability provided Rancho San Miguel Markets a doctor’s note requesting medical leave following surgery, but her request was denied and she was later fired, the EEOC said in a news release.
Along with a monetary settlement, the woman also won the right to return to her job and is expected to be protected from further disability discrimination, according to the terms of settlement.
Rancho San Miguel Markets also agreed to designate an Americans with Disabilities Act coordinator, review policies and make other disabilities-related accommodations.
Officials with Rancho San Miguel Market were not immediately available for comment on Tuesday.
PAQ Inc. owns the Rancho San Miguel locations and several Food 4 Less stores for a total of 20 supermarkets.
The release did not say at which Rancho San Miguel the woman was employed. There are Rancho locations in Merced, Madera, Livingston and Los Banos, to name a few.
Melissa Barrios, director for the EEOC’s Fresno Local Office, said she commends Rancho San Miguel Markets for agreeing to new measures to protect employees.
“We also encourage other employers to follow the lead of this company and review their policies and practices to make sure they are in compliance with federal law,” she said in the release.
