#disability

The least they can do is make the last few standing feel appreciated for keeping the fort held down. They lay people off, they don’t replace. People retire, they don’t replace. Someone on disability? Oh well pick up the slack or you’re next. As I’m working harder and harder I’m thinking to myself how long can this keep going? I mean my paycheck is getting eating by inflation yet I’m working 3x as hard for the same pay while my supervisor takes care of his personal errands during work hours. God only knows what the AD is doing. Never in my life have I been so disappointed by a company. Will we lose all of our employees or our customers first? Only time will tell.

“Please continue to keep our family in your prayers as we gather more information regarding Ernie’s separation from Gulfstream.

After 20 years of dedicated service to this company, Ernie received no severance package or support. The only thing we received was a letter in the mail containing his separation paperwork. It is heartbreaking and difficult to understand how someone who devoted two decades of his life to this company could be let go, especially while facing serious health challenges.

Throughout the years, we have seen other employees receive accommodations and support while dealing with medical issues, which makes this situation even more confusing and painful for our family. Ernie is not only battling Stage 4 cancer, but he is also deaf. Given these circumstances, it is hard not to question whether he has been treated fairly.

This entire experience has been devastating for him emotionally. No one who has given so much of themselves to their employer should feel discarded during one of the most difficult times in their life.

I am committed to seeking answers and raising awareness about what has happened. If necessary, I will take this matter further because Ernie deserves someone willing to stand up for him after everything he has given to this company.

We believe Gulfstream should take a hard look at how this situation was handled. Ernie was a loyal, dependable, and hardworking employee for 20 years, and he deserved to be treated with dignity, respect, and compassion.

If anyone has any opinions on this matter please share with me. Thank you!”

What do you all think is the future of Dental and Disability products?
Have heard about old, clunky legacy systems that are complicated/messy, negative impacts of offshoring, disorganized teams, etc.
Those are core products within USB and worried if they aren't performing well, how that would impact job security...
Also know know how Group Life is doing?

lets say a sr manager is mentioned in a public lawsuit and an employee has information useful to plaintiffs case, perhaps showing, just as an example, that the manager has made similar comments supporting the fact thay maybe he or she really doesnt care about people with a disability. does the employee automatically get fired for speaking up?

A former Bank of New York Mellon associate alleges the bank fired him while his disability accommodation request was still pending in its system.

Gibbs Kanyongo Jr. sued BNY on May 12, 2026, in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania. The complaint brings claims under the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act for failure to accommodate, disability discrimination, and retaliation.

The story, as the filing tells it, begins on Aug. 4, 2025. Kanyongo - a Client Processing Associate in BNY's Loan Administration department in Pittsburgh - says he broke a bone in his foot and suffered ligament damage in his ankle playing basketball. Two days later, according to the complaint, a UPMC podiatrist diagnosed a severe ankle sprain and signed documentation stating Kanyongo was limited in his ability to walk and needed to work from home for six to eight weeks. He says he called BNY's HR department on Aug. 7 and asked how to submit it. The complaint says HR pointed him to the online portal and to BNY's "Medical Certification: Reasonable Accommodation" form.

What followed, the complaint alleges, was more than two months of back and forth.

Kanyongo says he submitted the certification on Aug. 26. According to the filing, BNY responded on Sept. 5 to say the doctor had filled out parts of the form incorrectly. Kanyongo says he got it redone. On Sept. 24, 2025, he says he emailed the corrected certification - signed by his treating provider - to peopleadvisorsamericas@bny.com, an inbox the complaint says HR had told him to use during a mandatory two-week security leave.

Twenty-three days later, on Oct. 17, 2025, the complaint says his manager called and told him he was being terminated for failing BNY's "Working Together" in-office requirement on two occasions. The filing alleges his accommodation request remained pending in BNY's process when that call was made.

The complaint raises three issues that sit squarely in HR territory.

The first concerns the interactive process. The filing alleges that during the 23 days between Kanyongo's Sept. 24 submission and his Oct. 17 termination, BNY did not contact him to say his documentation had not been received or processed, or that he remained at risk of termination. His AT&T telephone records, according to the filing, show a 37-minute call to BNY's People Team line on Oct. 14, three days before he was terminated.

The second concerns BNY's automated attendance system. Under the "Working Together" policy as described in the complaint, employees must work a minimum of three days per week in the office, and two violations within a 12-month period can trigger termination. The complaint says Kanyongo received a first violation notice in May 2025 for the period from March 23, 2025 to April 19, 2025 - before his injury. The filing alleges that on Oct. 17, 2025, he discovered an automated notification flagging him for a further violation covering Sept. 6 through Oct. 4, 2025, and that the automated system had also not credited his accommodation for an earlier flagged period ending Aug. 8, 2025 - the period the complaint says an HR representative had told him his completed accommodation would retroactively excuse.

The third concerns what the complaint frames as an inconsistency between BNY's position statement to the EEOC and BNY's own internal records. The complaint says BNY's position statement asserted that Kanyongo's manager, Sally Baker, "never told [Mr. Kanyongo] he was not allowed to enter in-office exceptions" and in fact "encouraged him to do so." The filing then cites BNY's own People Solutions portal entries from Sept. 19, 2025, which Kanyongo says recorded his report that his manager had advised him "he cannot keep using in-office exceptions & he can only use three in-office exceptions for the time being," and that "his manager is not approving of in-office exceptions."

According to the complaint, an HR representative had told Kanyongo earlier in the process that once his completed forms were received and approved, the accommodation would retroactively cover and excuse the flagged days. The filing alleges that step never took place.

Kanyongo also says he wrote a message in BNY's portal on Sept. 5, 2025, describing himself as "unable to walk or travel," having "been trying to get this request submitted and approved for over a month," and having "called every week talking to someone asking for an update." According to the complaint, he arranged to be picked up and transported on his broken foot to get the forms completed, and asked BNY's People Advisor Team to call his physician directly. The filing says BNY declined, citing HIPAA.

Kanyongo is seeking back pay, front pay, compensatory damages, punitive damages, and attorneys' fees. He has demanded a jury trial. The complaint says he was unemployed for approximately six months after the termination, and that his new job pays roughly $5.00 per hour less than his BNY salary.

The allegations have not been tested in court. BNY has not yet filed a response to the complaint, and no court has ruled on the merits of any of Kanyongo's claims.

Does anyone have experience with submitting a leave of absence? I’m getting the approval, pay, and job protection through the state but Centene still requires me to submit the leave request through Lincoln Financial, which includes signing an authorization form that allows the release of all my my medical records, credit reports, personnel records, tax records, and more. They then include a statement noting that my information is not subject to state and federal privacy laws.

Is this normal and legal?? Like I said, I’m not even using Centene’s short-term disability, I just need official leave on record so o can’t get fired for not giving proper notice.

Scharf's mandatory RTO against the disabled has created a MASSIVE unforced liability for the company.

EEOC is prosecuting companies that issue these blanket mandates.

https://www.eeoc.gov/newsroom/fedex-pay-280000-eeoc-disability-discrimination-lawsuit

In the lawsuit, the EEOC charged that in February 2023, FedEx failed to accommodate several dispatchers’ requests to continue working from home and demanded the dispatchers’ return to its downtown Manhattan office, effectively forcing at least one into retirement. The employee, and other disabled dispatchers, previously performed dispatcher duties remotely and successfully for nearly three years. According to the suit, FedEx denied continued telework based on an alleged operational need to have all its dispatchers work in the office and failed to engage with its disabled dispatchers to find alternative accommodations.

“This case serves as a reminder that employers should not take a blanket approach to telework accommodations and should take care to engage in individualized assessments,” said Kimberly A. Cruz, regional attorney for the EEOC’s New York District Office. “Changing the location where work is performed may fall under the ADA’s reasonable accommodation requirements, even if the employer does not allow other employees to telework.”

Such alleged conduct violates the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which prohibits an employer from failing to reasonably accommodate an employee’s qualifying disability, absent undue hardship. The EEOC filed suit in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York (EEOC v. Federal Express Corporation d/b/a FedEx Express, Civil Action No. 1:25-cv-00454) after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its conciliation process.

Arlean Nieto, acting director of the EEOC’s New York District Office, said, “The EEOC is committed to enforcing the ADA and holding employers accountable for denying reasonable accommodations to employees with disabilities.”

TIAA facing a federal lawsuit from a former wealth advisor who says he was pushed out after seeking disability accommodations.

Phillip Pham, who spent nearly a decade at the financial services giant, filed suit in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan on February 16, 2026, alleging the firm violated the Americans with Disabilities Act and Michigan's Persons with Disabilities Civil Rights Act. The case, which stems from an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filing on June 10, 2025, seeks compensatory and punitive damages, along with attorneys' fees.

Pham joined TIAA in November 2015 as a wealth advisor and, according to the filing, built himself into one of the firm's top performers — consistently ranking in the top ten in product sales and accumulating almost $900 million in assets. That track record, the lawsuit argues, did not insulate him from what he describes as discrimination after a series of concussions forced him to ask for workplace adjustments.

The filing lays out three concussions — in 2016, around September 2021, and on July 13, 2023. The first left Pham with memory loss, delayed speech and impaired mental processing. After the third, his physician determined that his symptoms mirrored the severity of the 2016 episode and recommended reduced hours for one month, a gradual return to a full-time schedule and blue screen protection on his equipment.

According to the lawsuit, TIAA did not reduce Pham's workload to make the shorter hours feasible and did not officially approve the reduced schedule until early 2024. Even then, the filing states, Pham still carried more clients and higher asset amounts than other wealth advisors at the firm.

What followed, the lawsuit alleges, was a series of moves that systematically undercut Pham's ability to succeed. His Wealth Director, Theresa Serafimovski, allegedly issued a written warning on July 19, 2024, tied in part to symptoms of his condition. The filing claims he was told to hit 100 percent of his performance targets within weeks — despite a prior agreement setting the bar at 85 percent. That higher standard, the lawsuit says, was not placed on his colleagues.

Perhaps most striking for industry observers: the filing alleges Pham was the only wealth advisor not invited to TIAA's client referral system — described in the lawsuit as the only way advisors could source new business and grow their books. The firm reportedly attributed his exclusion to workload concerns, but Pham argues it effectively cut off his pipeline for external revenue.

On August 16, 2024, Pham submitted another physician's note recommending a reduced client load and that he avoid working through dinners. He spoke briefly with someone in human resources, according to the filing, but heard nothing back. Two months later, on October 15, 2024, he was called into a meeting with Human Resources Director Ashley Bigham and Human Resources Manager Kristin Johnson. He was terminated during that meeting, and his accommodation request was scuttled.

Since leaving TIAA, Pham took a business manager role at Washtenaw Christian Academy from January to May 2025, earning $55,000 annually, before launching his own life insurance venture, Phamily Phinancial Group, in June 2025. He says he has not yet been able to collect unemployment.

The case is in its earliest stages. TIAA has not yet responded, and no court rulings have been issued. But the lawsuit lands at a moment when large wealth management firms face increasing scrutiny over how they handle accommodation requests and whether internal performance systems inadvertently penalize advisors returning from medical leave. For compliance teams and firm leadership, the allegations — if they hold up — could underscore the legal risks embedded in everyday management decisions, from referral access to equipment upgrades to how time off is tracked.

Or-l arguments were finally heard in district 4 (Charlotte) regarding Wells Fargo's appeal of the Billesdon case. Here is the audio file - https://www.ca4.uscourts.gov/OAarchive/mp3/25-1495-20260505.mp3

Its about 1 hour long and well worth listening to.

The 3 judge panel seemed perplexed why they would let go someone who brought into the bank over 60M in revenue, and the timing of his addition to layoff list was very suspect.

If you are unfamiliar with the case, here is the $22,000,000 jury decision handed down in Charlotte NC against Wells Fargo in 2025: https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/north-carolina/ncwdce/3:2023cv00160/111371/78/
and
https://www.pacermonitor.com/public/case/57946975/Christopher_Billesdon_v_Wells_Fargo_Securities,_LLC

Its the same pattern -a disabled Wells Fargo employee, needed wfh accommodation, bank said no, then fired him for asking.

If you fit the same pattern, know that you have a very limited timeline to file a charge against the company - seek legal counsel asap

https://www.investmentnews.com/ria-news/disabled-banker-sues-wells-fargo-alleges-diversity-push-drove-his-firing/265565

https://aging.networkofcare.org/lrgv-tx/CommunityResources/News/Article?articleId=151628

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/charlotteobserver_wellsfargo-wfh-workfromhome-activity-7448405383771222016-iAIY

If you are on long-term disability for two years, it looks like Wells will let you go. HR said no severance if you are let go for this. Anyone have any experience with receiving severance after being let go due to not returning to work due to disability? HR said my other option is to go on unpaid job search leave. I can't do unpaid. I have bills.

I went through the ADA accommodation process for 100% remote work, submitted medical documentation, and received written approval. After that approval, I was verbally told by business leadership that I still need to report onsite 3 days per week.

I’m now seeking written clarification from HR/Employee Relations because I’m continuing to follow the written accommodation approval unless formally told otherwise.

Just posting so others know to document everything, keep copies of approvals, and ask for any changes in writing.

Wonder if I have a case re: Billesdon vs Wells Fargo Securities, Inc.

So ridiculous. They are saying no directors except in Westlake or maybe Lone Tree. Even 59 PLs are getting warned during the interview process that they will have to get some sort of difficult approval. Do they genuinely expect everyone to move to those fiery city hellholes for this job? Cuz nope.
What about the offices THEY closed, like St Louis, New Jersey and Maryland? What about smaller offices like Chicago, Ann Arbor, Raleigh? And what about disability exceptions? If promotions are lost because of this policy, the lawsuits will be massive.

I was undergoing cancer treatment and radiation therapy when my manager asked me if I could work three days a week and take a part-time FMLA instead of the full disability leave. This would allow me to regain my rhythm and continue earning commissions.

I decided that this arrangement would be beneficial for my morale and overall well-being, so I agreed. However, two weeks later, I was laid off! I had been pre-approved for the entire year to receive 90% of my pay and full medical coverage. Now, I will lose my coverage and have no job or income while I am recovering. I spoke to a few lawyers, but they all told me that I was in trouble.

So, they are using RIFs to specifically target FMLA and people on Disability.

Hey everyone, quick question if someone files for short-term disability and it’s under review with MetLife, do they need to use PTO while waiting or does coverage start right away? Also, should they inform their manager, HR, or both? Appreciate any insight.

What documents do I need to apply for short-term disability? I recently fell down the stairs, and my doctor advised that I need at least two months of rest.

Also, is there a specific place I should apply or a phone number I can call for assistance? I would appreciate your help. Thank you.

Do you think they will start letting people on STD go?

i am from out of state ad i wil be in mi next week. i have to turn in my computer and get a new one. in the new building where is IT located I have a disability and ca't walf far so i am trying to plan.

This company loves to bully people with disabilities with micro-aggressions from management and HR. This place used to once welcome everyone and be accommodating but it feels like they are doing whatever they can to get rid of people. It’s very uncomfortable going to work anymore.

With all of this stress from increased expectations, career stagnation, and drop in benefits, I’d like to remind you is that all it takes to go on short term disability for mental health is 3 doctors appointments that say you’re depressed.

Because Amazon has weak management and poor hiring practices. Extra points for the silent firing of disabled employees, denying them appropriate work from home accommodations.

Been on std for 2 months got called on my personal phone and laid off. How is this possible?

Facts from this VZ Vet (Yes, service connected disabilities)

1. They gave us choice of Veteran VZ t-shirts this November to thank us for our service
2. The Team gave me a nice physical card (Not AI or virtual) thanking me for my service on V Day. Very thoughtful
3. 8 days later got the call...Sayonara...kick in the teeth is the December 19th off payroll. I guess we needed the funds from my HUGE salary for the Swede we didn't need 40M and the other two 4M to "stay on" LOL. Merry Xmas
   AI Search "Reasons Verizon is good for hiring disabled veterans:
   Military-friendly recognition: Verizon is a Gold-level Military Friendly Employer, recognized for its commitment to hiring, retaining, and advancing veterans."

During open enrollment, the company stated that STD at 60% pay was provided at no cost to employee. With Minnesota Paid Leave, employees are now required to pay 0.44% for STD. This doesn’t seem accurate. The company should be paying the full 0.88% if STD 60% is provided at no cost to the employee.

The Accommodations Management team has been laid off and the work will be outsourced to a vendor controlled by leadership's agenda - which largely focuses on not supporting those with disabilities and taking away accommodations. The upper leadership talks a good game in public, but the truth is behind the scenes that is absolutely not the case.

Team of 10....
3 black women, 3 white men, 2 white women, 2 black men....
The 2 white women and the 2 black men were affected in the layoff.....Was this really random??
Also, of the 4 that were layed off, 3 of them are on workforce accommodations due to existing disabilities....Coincidence or not??

According to the options during open enrollment, it looks like WF is moving to MetLife for its disability benefits? Is that true?

VZ cannot put you on the list if your out on dissability..lol just some info

What is it? This is all anonymous so this isn't anything to expose you. I have seen people with very serious and legitimate ones get denied. I'm confused about what actually gets approved and how??

Does anyone have direct experience going from a long term disability leave of absence while their site or coworkers were laid off, and were returned to work after the layoff? I am currently on LTD and am wondering what the process will be when my doctor returns me to work. Will I get a 60 day non working notice or go directly to being laid off? The employee handbook doesn't cover this and I will be asking my manager, just wondering if anyone has already gone through this with HR.

Anyone else?
I've read several posts here and elsewhere that Cigna-Evernorth-Express Scripts Layoffs in first and second quarter of 2025 targeted employees with open, active, or recently returned FMLA. I was told job elimination. I was given 2.5 month with LHH but could never get communication from Rep for job postings. Spoke to co-workers in positions I applied that were hiring managers and they never received my application. There also seems to be several people over 40, within months of 20 years, and with high cost health conditions that makes me wonder why such a high percentage of this population seems to have been targeted when same/similar roles and titles of under 40 and without FMLA were not. Can companies access health records to thin the herd?

So I was approved for a full-time ongoing telecommuting (remote) accommodation back in 2023. Recently, they decided to force me to "recertify" my accommodation just so they could rip it from me. I've heard anything from it "no longer being the pandemic" as the reasoning to being a "business need". Oh really? Interesting how the pandemic wasn't mentioned at all when my accommodation was approved on a full-time and ongoing basis. Also very interesting how you can't supply documentation about the "business need" to be in office. Equally as interesting... 83% of those with my same job title, therefore, similar job description, and they're all listed as remote.

So who else is disabled and/or chronically ill and has had their remote accommodation denied in 2025?

I applied for a software program for my disability. The HR site said my team or boss would not be notified - it's confidential. Fast forward a year and boss takes an accounting of all software charged to team account. "Hey, what's this? It's assigned to you?"

Not close. It's a smart idea. AI can automate repetitive, manual tasks like data entry, scheduling with speed and consistency. This reduces a company's labor costs. Senior workers can increase their own productivity and focus on higher-value activities. AI can also train the "would be" junior employees into becoming more senior employees.

Actual d-mbest things: how about replacing remote work arrangements with RTO5? And RTT? And RTH? And then complaining that launches are too slow? And violating the rights of disabled employees? Shame!

So end of June my disabled son is fired from Allegheny Health Network and denied unemployment. 3 weeks short of 3 years so no PTO pay out. Nice. Thank you for caring for him like family. You claim you didn’t know he was disabled but you are a healthcare provider and it’s documented huh? So when I visit your hospital this means the service will be flawless so I look forward to my next visit.

heard this same story a few times now. A buddy in Digital said they told mgrs about hospital stuff, got promised support, but when cuts came the scoring didn’t take anything in to account. And in BRG, some chatter sounded the same. Then there was a yammer post too, almost word for word. feels like ADA is just surface decoration here, looks good on paper but doesn’t change how people get treated. anyone else seen it. wouldn’t be first time bp gave support in name only?