A Kentucky jury has ordered $450,000 in compensation for a man who was fired from his job after his boss threw him a birthday party, even though he had asked not to because it caused him anxiety and he couldn't make it.
Kevin Berling warned his boss at Gravity Diagnostics that he didn't want a party thrown for him, as he had been for other employees, because being the center of attention gave him panic attacks, local station Kiro7 reported.
According to the court documents cited by the publication, despite the employee's warnings, on August 7, 2019, they held a celebration in the office dining room
.
Realizing this, the man had a panic attack and took refuge in his car.
The employee's mental health was affected by the birthday celebration.Getty Images/Westend61
The next day his employers criticized his attitude and one of his bosses read him a document accusing him "of stealing the joy of other colleagues," his lawyer told the local media LinkNKY.
They decided to give him a few days off, and then told him that he was fired "because of the events of the previous week."
["If possible!". Grocery workers in California celebrate historic wage increase agreement]
Berling sued Gravity Diagnostics for failing to honor his notices related to his mental health, and the jury ordered $450,000 in damages ($300,000 for emotional distress and $150,000 for lost wages).
According to the jury, the company violated a state law that protects workers with a disability from "adverse employment actions."
