U.S. EEOC files lawsuit against nursing home for disability discrimination

Marble Falls-based Granite Mesa Legend Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center fired a certified nurse assistant when he told the facility he was HIV-positive, the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) claimed in a lawsuit filed last Tuesday, October 4.

According to the lawsuit, Granite Mesa Health Center, Ltd. unlawfully required a medical examination of a member of the nursing staff after he disclosed he tested positive for HIV (human immunodeficiency virus). According to EEOC senior trial attorney Patrick Connor, “The limited avenues for transmission of HIV/AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome) have long been understood by the medical and health care community. The employer here nonetheless made decisions based on unfounded fears and misperceptions rather than on correct, current medical knowledge about HIV infection.”

Employers have the responsibility of providing a working environment for employees that makes them feel safe – physically, mentally, and emotionally. However, in some situations, employers do not follow this basic tenet of common human decency and resort to the unfair treatment of their employees. If you face discrimination in Austin, call our attorneys at The Melton Law Firm today at (512) 330-0017 to see what we can do for you.