King v. AT&T Inc. et al

Filing 1

COMPLAINT filed by Janette Lynn King against All Defendants with Jury Demand. Plaintiff requests summons issued. Receipt No: 0645-2951505 - Fee: $ 350. County of 1st Plaintiff: Oakland County - County Where Action Arose: Wayne County - County of 1st Defendant: Wayne County. [Previously dismissed case: No] [Possible companion case(s): None] (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit Exhibit A - Sep. 22, 2010 Authorization to to Defendant, # 2 Exhibit Exhibit B - Oct. 26, 2010 Ltr. to Defendant, # 3 Exhibit Exhibit C - Jan. 6, 2011 Authrozation to Defendant, # 4 Exhibit Exhibit D - March 7, 2011 Letter via fax to Defendant) (Hardin, Kenneth) (Entered: 04/26/2011)

I:EDIXKAI COI IIZT
FOR 'Tl1E EASTI:KN DIS'T111C7r OF b IC'I IIGAN
1
.IANI:'fI'lI LYNN K I N G ,
I'lai~ltifl;

C'asc No.

I Ion.

\' .

A7f&'l'INC'., allel .41'&'1' COI<I'.
L>ct'c~lilant.

-

-

COMPLAIN'T IN CI\'IL ACTION
NOW COMES, I'lai~ltifl; .lanctte L y n n King. by and tl11-0~1gl1 ;ltt~rneys, Ilarclin
her

Tlionlpson, I'.C'., and for Ilcr Complaint and Civil Action, statcs as follows:
I.

I'laintif'f is a n adult individual wit11 licr principal place of' I-csidcncc i l l the County

of Oaklancl, Statc of Michigan.
7
-.

Dcfcndants, A'T&'I' lnc. and .AT&T Corp., arc a col-1301-ation
doilig h ~ ~ s i n c ins tlic
s

C'oi~nty Waync, Statc ol' M i c h i g ; ~ ~ ~ .
ot'
3.

'fhat tllc cvcrlls given I-iscto this causc of action occurrocl in LZiaylie County, Statc

of Michigan.

4.

.I his

court has jurisdiction p~~rsuant 2 0 U.S.C. 52001, 2 5 U.S.C7. $ 1 and 2 5
to

U.S.C.. 13 33(a)(0).

UACI<Gl<OUND Fi\CrTS

4.

I'lain~if't'bcgan licr cmploymenl with Defendant in October, 3001. as a position

- .
5

A1 all nialcrial titilcs. I'l;lllit~ft' pcrf01-11lcdher Job ilutics in

0.

I'l:~i~~riff' n histot-y of schi;.ol~llt-cnia and bipolar diso~.dcthas
~v111~1i
L)eti)tlcl;~~it
\\,as

7.

1'l:ritltif'i

X.

I'I;ri~itil'fs~~~gllt
treatment ti-on1 V ; I I - ~ O L I S
eloc~ors
and Ilcal~llcat-c
pro\.idc~.s.

0.

I)l;~in~ii'f' off wot-k for ~rppruxitnatclyone 111vn~h
was
M'IICII

also cicvclopcd heal-t issues such as low I,loocl

:I

mi~nlicr- l l i l t n a s
r

I J I - C S S L I I . w11ic11 C L I L I S C ~
~

o~.eIc~.cd
Ixrck to i{'urk

by Dctktlda~lr.
I'lai~itij'f's docturs nllowcd lbr. I'liri~ltiff'to ~ v o r k ,~

10.

L I Io nly 1.1-0111 1 ~ 0 1 ~ I ~cl . ~ i t ~ t i f t ' ~
~ i

tloclo~.
irclvisctl tllal Ilc i v o ~ ~ lI-clcaschcr to work in a short pcriod ol'tinlc w i t l i o ~ ~ t
tl
rcslt-iction.

I 1.
~ I - O I IIlon1c
I

l'l:~intiSf aclviscrl Ucfcndant of tllc doctot-'s or-0ct.s tllat she bc ;~Iloivccito work ot1Iy
li)l- ;I sIlo1.t pcriod ot'tinic and tlietl bc :illou'cd to ~ ~ t u tonwot-k.
r

May o1'300X.

(3011NT 1
VIOLA'I'ION 0 1 ; I'EIISONS W I T H DISAUII,II'\' CIVII, lil<;14Fl'S A C I '

14.

A[ all tnatcrial times. I'lirintil't' was

311

employee atlcl L>ctcndant cot-pot-ation \vi~s

Ilcl- c ~ ~ l l ~ l o yCOVCI-ecl and ~vitllinthe 11lcaning of tllc I'cl.sons with Disi~bility
cr,
by
C'i\.il 12igl11sAc[

15.

I'l:rintiffls blood pressure disordcl- ;rnd bipolal- disol.dcl ant1 sclli;/opll~-cnia

C O I I S I ~ ~ L I Iclis~~bility,
C(~
21s

that tern1 is dctincd by ancl \ \ ~ i r h i n tllc ~llca~ring rhc I'I>C'I(A, MC'L
of

37. I l 0 3 ( ~ l ) .

At the tiillcs of' I'lai~~tit'f's
termination, Ilcl- disability \\,ol~lcl
Ili~vc:lllo\vctl hcr to

0

\ \ , ~ I - I < fi.0111Ilonlc.
Ar rlic l i ~ n c
ot'l'lnintif7's tcrminatio~l,she \\!o~~lcl
ha\:c been able lo ~-ctul.nto \\,or.k

17.

allel- a sllol-r pc~-iotl
ol'con\~irlcscing.
I'lai~ltil'l' u;as cliscri~nillatcd against, b c c a ~ ~ sof Ilcr contlitioll
c

IS.

01.. ;~ltcrllati\cly,

bccalisc I)cfi.ntln~itt':lilecl to provide rhc ~.casonabIc
acco~nrnod:~tio~lI ~ e r\ Y O I - ~ ~1i.01ll 110111~
ol'
I I ~

1i)r a sl~ortperiod of till~c,
within the m e a ~ i i ~ of the I'L)CI<A, wllc~iLlcfc~lcla~~t
ig
tc1-11iillatcd
Ilcr
disabi
bccirusc of'tllc ali,~.cn~c~~tiorled Iitics.

I

1'l:rillrifl'

\\,;IS

discri~ilirlatcd agai~lst,bccausc ol' her c o ~ l d ~ r i o ~ i alrcl-~iali\,cly,
or,

i . I~oliic
bccausc L>cli.~ldarltIlrilccl to pro\;idc t l ~ c
~.easonabIc
accolnliiodntio~iof' lies \ \ . ~ ~ . l i i njg o ~ i ~
li)r 21

~~~~~~r period ol'timc, \vitllin the nlcaning ol'tlie I'IICI<A, \vlicn Dcfcnd:~~~r
rcga~.tlcdI'lni~~tif'f

as disablctl
20.

nritl

tcl-mi~iarcd
Iicr.

Thar I'lai~~tiff'sdisabilities, as dcscr-ibcd above, or, i~ltcl-natively.L)cfcncli~~~t's

I . L ' ~ ; I I . ~ li)r I ' l i ~ i ~ i t i l ' l ' ; ~ ~c i ~disableel
[~
ig

as dcscr-ibecl a h \ . - c .\\,as a ticte1-11lini1ig
I':rcto~.in L)cli~lrli~~lt's

dccisioli to tcr~nini~tc
i'lointil'f and PI-ccludcIicl. from ~ . c t u ~ - n i ~ i\\,or.k.
to g

2 1.

'l'hc actions of' Llcfc~ldnnt and its agents, rcprcsc~~tatives, cmployccs \\.cl.c
and

i~lrc~lrional clisl-cgal-tl1i)stlic I-iglltsand se~isibilirics I'lainti ff.
ill
of'

22.

As a cli~'ectand prosi~natc1-cs111t L)el'C~~d;~~it's: ~ \ \ J ~ L I c lisc~~i~lii~iirtio~l,
of
LII~I
I
I'liri~ltii'l'

has sus~aincclinJurics ancl clamilgch, illeluding tlic loss of'earniligs a~icicar~iilig
capircitics; loss 01'
I'1.11igc n d pension bc~lcl'its,111cntalaricl cnlotion;rl distress. I i ~ ~ ~ n i l i a t and cmb:rrrass~llc~~t;
a
ion
loss

of c':~r.,'cr.o ~ > ~ > o ~ ~ t i i andt i c s ; of' the ordinal-y plcas~r~-cs c\-ct.yd:ry 1 i ti., inclutl~ng
~ i i loss
of
tllc

i.igli(

to

COUN'I' I I

\ ~ l O l ~ ; l ' l 7 I O1 : 'I'FI I?13LJLL.Al<l)-l'LA\\'EClil Ekll'1,OYEE l<l(;H'l' '1.0 lih'O\\' /lCq'I'

0h

Iicr.eill.

24.

.~'IILII

011 or-

al~oi~t
Scptcmbcr 22, 2010 I'lailltift' for-\var-dccl n u airrho~.iz:rrio~lo
t

tilc
1:1111~1oyce
L)clL.llcIan( r.cclucstiiig I'lainti t't's j~c~'son~lel pill-suant to tllc 13nlla1-cl-l'la\\.ccki
J<iglit
to Klio\\, Acl MC'L 423.501 el. see]. (Scc E s l ~ i h i 11).
t

25.

O n Octobcl. 20, 2010

Scprc~llbcr22, 2010

all

21

Icttcr \\,as sc11t to D c t c ~ i d a ~ ~ t
atl\~isillg
1)cfcnclanr rllar o n

~rutlior-iznlion\vas for-\\,ir~-dccl
~-ccl~~cstilig
I'lni~llil'l's pcrsonllcl file and

;~d\;ising
[liar llcl'cnd:~nt\\.as i n \,iolation of' tllc I-3ull~lr-d-l'l~1\\1ccI<i
Enll~loycc
I<igllr [o 1<110\\' Acr,
MC'L 423.501 cr, sccl. (Scc I<xliil~it
13).
0 .

O n .la~ln;rry0, 201 1 :rnotllcr authol.ization was fo~.\\.ardccl
r.cq~~cs[ing
I'lai~i~il't's

I ~ ~ I ~ S O Itilc I N II I ~ S L I ~ I I MCL 423.501 ct. scq. (Scc Esllihit C').
~ I ~ ~
to ~ I
27.

'I'lli~L at

some point priol- to I\ilarch 7 , 201 1 , I'laintit'fs c o ~ ~ n s spoke
cl

by
Sustcr-. all altol-11cyc~i~ploycd Ucfcndant. I'laitllil'l's COLIIISCI

\vi[ll

Melissa

aclvised l)cli.nd;~nl'scoul~sel
that

~licy\\,c~-c \:iolariorr of' M('I 423.501 ct. sccl. and I-cclucstcd that tlicy li)~.\\,~r~.cl pel-sorlllcl
in
rhc
file.
28.

011

Mul-cli 7 , 201 1 , a Ic~tcl- as sent via flrcsi~nilclo lIcfi.rid:rn[ ucl<no\vlcclgi~ig
w

1)eli.rid;rnl's agl-eclllcn[ lo li)l.\val.d I'l;rinlit'tls personnel file. (Scc Exllihit 1)).
2 .

I'o tlarc, I'laintit'f's ]~c~-sonncl Ilas ~ic\:cltile
bee11 Ii)r.\va~.ilcclby Dcli.lltlal~[ ill

viol;~r~on
ol'MC'1~423.50 1 cr. scq.

70.

Dctc~icia~il w ~ c f i ~ l r c t i l s ~ ~ i 17roviclcI'laintif'f's I
11:)s
ly
to

the l3iilla1-d-l'lawccki l<mploycc liiglit to Klio\v Act.

~

~ iile~ 111\.iol;~tioil~ f
.
~ o

~

7rl~c~-e1'O~-~,
j)l~rsllalit to MCL 423.5 1 1 ,

I'l:rintif'l'~-ecl~~csts
claniugcs plus costs a n d scasonoblc attorncy fccs.

32.

1'1;111itiI'l'notiliecI
Dcfi.nd;Int of Iicr nccd to takc time ol'f l i ~ ~ I . c ; I ~ I I ~ L ' I ~ ~ .
r

33.

I'laintil'f was con\;alcscing fl-0111an illncss. lio\vc\~c~..
I'laintif'l' \\,as tolcl that lics

LO
I i ) ~ - r ~1x)"llion \\,us no longel- ;r\l;rilablc anrl that sllc \vollld not he ~-ctlll.~iilig \\o1.1<.
ic~-

34.

I

I

I

to ~.cstorcI'I:rintif'l' to l ~ c r~ ) r c \ . i o l ~ s
~
position,

0 1an

ccl~~iv:ilciit
position

\vitli e c l ~ ~ i v i ~ le ~ iiti ~ l ~ y ~ i i c ~ i t p;ly, illid 0t1ie1. terms a n d conditions of c ~ ~ l p l o y ~ n c n t ,
e
[)c~iefits,
I>cli.ncl:r~i[
\,iol;~tccl
I'laintit'l's 1.igIits ~lndcr
FMLA 20 USC $2001 ct. scq.
35.

As

:I

clircct and 131-osimirtcI . C S L I ~ ~f Dcf;'ii~l;~~~t's
o
;rctiolis, l'l;ri~itit'f'11;)s S ~ I S ~ ; I I I I C C I

i~i.jusicsirntl damages, including the loss of' earnings ancl carning capacities: loss of' ii-ingc kind
~~aision
loss
bcllclits. lncntal and emotional clistrcss, Iii~miliatiorislid c11ib;11-1.ass11icnt; of' casccs
~l
to
oppo~.tunitics:alicl loss ol'llic orclin;isy ~ ~ l e a s n r c s ' c \ ~ c r y d a y including tlic 1.igIi~ seek :rnd
lil'c,
~~UI'SLIL'
g;rinlill

occupation of choice.

I ' l u i ~ ~ l'f I . C ( J L I C S ~[11;1[ this ( ' U L I I - ~cn[cs.judgmc~it
ti
S
against Llcli.nd;rnt

;IS

ti)l lo\vs:

I . I , ~ g i Relief
~l
I .

C'o~iil)cns:rlo~.y umugcs
d

in \vIiatcvcl- ;r~iiounto\:c~$25,000.00 I'lai~itil'l' is

fi)~11ic1 l ~ c ntitlcd:
to

h. An award of bucl< pay ant1 tlic \aliic of' lost fringe bcnclits ancl pcnslon

bcncti~s,
past and fi~turc;

~

.

.

,. .

c . 1lucrnpl:rry cl:~magcs in wIiatc\,cr a~nount over S25,OOO.OO I ) l : ~ ~ ~ i t I Sf t
~

ii)i~nclo 13c elititled;
t
cl. An awal-el of intcl-cst, costs ant1 I-casonablcattol-ncy ti.cs;

3. Equital)lc lielief
I

A n ordcl- pluci~ig1'l:rintiff in tlic position slic \\:oultl li:r\,c been Irircl tllcre

bee11110 \liol:rtioll of l i c ~
riglils;
13.

An awarcl of intcl-cst, costs, and scasonablc attorney t'ccs;

c. An ol-dcr c~ijoi~ling
Llcf'c~idant 1'1-om f'i~l-tllcr acls of discsi~ninir~ion
~'ctaliation;
d . \21liirtcvcs othcl- I-clicfapl,cal-s appsopl-iatc at the ti~lic
ol'ii~ialjudgment.

I)EM!INI> FOIi ,JUliY 7'lil:IL

I'lain~if'f, by and througll her attorney, lins paid tlic statutory Jury fkc and demands
by JLII-y tllc aho\lc-cnptioncd Iliatlcr.
in

A/: I<C>IIIIC)//I
.I. /IUIY/III, 11
KENNI'TI I .I. I IAKDIN, I 1 (1'430X I )
l~IAl<L>IN IOWI I'SOh', 1I.C.
1-1
Allot-llcys for- I'lai~ltift'
30555 S~i~tllficlcl.
Suitc 400
Soi~tlificld.Michigan 48076- 112 1
(248) 593- 1400

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;I

trial