Employers May Not Discriminate against Employees Suffering from Depression

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has settled a lawsuit against a hotel, in which the EEOC alleged that the hotel’s ownership had discriminated against one of its employees who was suffering from depression.  According to the EEOC’s lawsuit, the general manager advised his supervisor in fall 2019 that he needed to go to the hospital to treat his depression, and he would, therefore, be out of work for a short time for this treatment.  Two days later, when this manager was discharged from the hospital, the hotel terminated his employment.  The hotel informed the manager that it was terminating his employment because they were afraid that he may hurt other people.  These alleged actions violate the Americans with Disabilities Act.  The ADA protects employees who are suffering from a disability from discrimination on the basis of that disability, and requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations for employees’ disabilities.  See EEOC v. Anant Enterprises, L.L.C., Case No. 8:22-cv-345 (D. Neb.).