The California Civil Rights Department has reached a settlement with the Lemoore Union Elementary School District, resolving allegations that an employee was subjected to disability discrimination.

The worker will receive a little over $90,000 for lost wages and other harms, the state agency said.

In 2023, a district employee filed a complaint after being reprimanded in a performance review and eventually let go. This came after the employee requested time off to get treatment for a disability.

The CRD conducted an initial investigation. Then, the department provided an opportunity for the district and the employee to resolve the allegations through mediation.

As a result, Lemoore Union Elementary agreed to compensate the worker for lost wages, continue to be monitored by the state, and conduct mandatory training.

“Nobody should ever have to worry about losing their job because they ask for time off to take care of their health,” said CRD Director Kevin Kish. “Whether it’s for a disability or any serious health condition, California has protections in place for workers who need support.”

Employee Let Go After Requesting Time Off

Lemoore Union Elementary allegedly left a negative performance review and chose not to renew an employee’s contract after the leave request.

The worker’s evaluations had no mention of performance issues until the request to take time off.

The Settlement

As part of the settlement, all supervisors and managers will undergo mandatory training on how to handle accommodation requests with an emphasis on non-visible disabilities.

Additionally, the state will continue to monitor the district, ensuring disability complaints are properly handled.

This includes developing and circulating guidance to all supervisors detailing the process for addressing employee requests.