New York Beer Project to pay $225K in disability lawsuit
BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — New York Beer Project will have to pay $225,000 to two former bartenders to settle a disability discrimination lawsuit, according to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
The commission said that New York Beer Project did not allow two bartenders to return after being told about their medical conditions. According to the EEOC, one bartender was 'left off the schedule for months before learning he had been fired,' and another was left off the work schedule for weeks and then fired after informing the company that he had seizures (and had since been cleared to return to work by a doctor).
The EEOC said these actions violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
'Employers cannot prevent qualified employees from working based on stereotypical beliefs about their medical conditions,' said Kimberly Cruz, regional attorney for the EEOC's New York District Office, in a statement. 'It is important for employers to educate and train managers and supervisors so that decisions based on improper assumptions can be avoided.'
We have reached out to New York Beer Project for a response and have yet to hear back.
***
Mark Ludwiczak joined the News 4 team in 2024. He is a veteran journalist with two decades of experience in Buffalo. You can follow him online at @marklud12.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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