Hotel manager took two days off to treat depression — and got fired, lawsuit says
A Nebraska hotel must pay thousands of dollars to a former manager after he says he was discriminated against due to his mental health.
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed the lawsuit against Anant Enterprises LLC in September 2022.
The lawsuit comes after the general manager of a Holiday Inn Express & Suites in Omaha said he was terminated when he sought treatment for depression.
On Oct. 28, 2019, the manager called the human resources office to let them know he would be taking two days off, the complaint says. The manager was struggling with depression and asked his wife to take him to a hospital for treatment, according to the lawsuit.
The manager was discharged the afternoon of Oct. 30. However, that morning, before he was discharged, his supervisor notified him that he was fired, the lawsuit said.
The manager was told the reason he was being fired was because “they were afraid he would hurt other people,” according to the lawsuit.
In a response to the lawsuit, Anant Enterprises LLC denies these allegations.
McClatchy News reached out to the attorney listed for Anant Enterprises LLC on Jan. 2 but did not receive an immediate response.
The lawsuit goes on to say that the hotel company didn’t ask the manager for a medical release and didn’t ask for a medical opinion about his ability to return to work. The hotel company admitted to this in its response.
The lawsuit said the hotel company fired the manager based on its “fears and stereotypes regarding his disability, depression.”
In December, a settlement was reached between the parties and a judgment was ordered for Anant Enterprises LLC to pay $100,000. The hotel company must also provide Americans with Disabilities Act-related training to its employees.
This story was originally published January 2, 2024 at 1:54 PM with the headline "Hotel manager took two days off to treat depression — and got fired, lawsuit says."
