Disability Discrimination Representation
If you were fired, demoted, passed over, or refused a reasonable accommodation because of a disability or medical condition, that may be unlawful discrimination. Thurgood represents employees in disability discrimination charges — without the cost of a law firm.
Get a free evaluationSigns of disability discrimination
Disability discrimination is rarely announced. It usually shows up in how you were treated after a condition or accommodation request became known:
Denied a reasonable accommodation
Your employer refused a schedule change, equipment, remote work, or leave that would let you do your job.
Fired after disclosing a condition
Discipline or termination followed soon after your diagnosis or accommodation request.
Treated as “unfit”
You were sidelined, demoted, or screened out based on assumptions about your condition rather than your work.
Punished for medical leave
You faced demotion, lost hours, or termination after using leave connected to a disability.
Held to a different standard
Rules or performance expectations were suddenly applied to you alone after your condition became known.
Harassed over your condition
Comments, mockery, or pressure about your disability made the workplace hostile.
Not sure if what happened counts?
A free evaluation tells you where you stand — no cost, no obligation.
We negotiate a settlement with your employer
Settling directly with your employer is where we focus and where we specialize. Most matters can be resolved right here — privately, and faster than any filing.
Refine your story so it lands
We help you shape what happened into a clear, credible account that translates to the people deciding your case.
Strategize the approach
We read how the company and their attorney open discussions, and adapt our strategy to the way they negotiate.
Organize the evidence for impact
We identify the documentation that matters most and arrange it for maximum impact to close a deal.
If we can’t settle, we file and represent you
When a settlement can’t be reached up front, we pursue an award through the agency — and stay with you through every step of that process.
Prepare your filing
We convert your story and evidence into formal charge documents written to the agency’s standards.
Represent your interests with the agency
We become your point of contact, handling communications and deadlines throughout.
Prepare you for the investigator interview
We get you ready for the agency investigator’s questions so you can tell your account with confidence.
Prepare you for fact-finding conferences
We ready you for the conference where both sides present their version of events.
Prepare you for administrative law hearings
If your case reaches a hearing before an administrative law judge, we prepare you for that too.
Filing a charge with the EEOC
Disability discrimination under the Americans with Disabilities Act is handled by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Here’s how that process generally unfolds:
- 01
A charge is filed
A formal charge of discrimination is submitted to the EEOC, generally within 180–300 days of the discriminatory act.
- 02
Your employer is notified
The EEOC notifies your employer of the charge and invites a written response.
- 03
Investigation or mediation
The agency may investigate the claim or offer voluntary mediation to resolve it early.
- 04
A determination is issued
The EEOC issues findings. Where it finds cause, it may pursue a settlement or conciliation.
- 05
Rights are preserved
If the matter isn’t resolved, the EEOC issues a Notice of Right to Sue — keeping your options open.
Filing with your state civil-rights agency
Most states have their own fair-employment agency and disability law — often more protective than the federal ADA. Thurgood is authorized to represent state-level claims in the states below; everywhere else, we represent your claim federally before the EEOC. Your evaluation pins down exactly what applies where you work.
- 01
File with the state agency
States such as California (CRD) and New York (DHR) accept charges directly through their own civil-rights agencies.
- 02
Dual filing preserves both
A charge can usually be cross-filed so your federal and state rights are both protected at once.
- 03
Longer deadlines may apply
Several states allow far more time than the federal 300 days — in some, up to three years.
- 04
Broader coverage
State laws often reach smaller employers and a wider range of conditions than the ADA.
- 05
Investigation & resolution
The state agency investigates and may hold hearings or facilitate a settlement.
Two roads to an award
You don’t have to sue in civil court to be made whole. The administrative agency process can deliver the same kinds of awards — back pay, reinstatement, damages — through a different, more accessible path.
Both can result in a real award. The agency route is built to be reached without a law firm — which is exactly where Thurgood represents you.
Frequently asked
Many physical and mental conditions that substantially limit a major life activity qualify — and coverage is broader than most people assume. Your free evaluation reviews whether yours likely qualifies.
It’s a change to how, when, or where you work — like modified hours, equipment, reassignment, or leave — that lets you do your job. Employers generally must provide one unless it causes significant difficulty or expense.
Possibly. A request doesn’t need magic words or a written form. What matters is whether your employer knew of your condition and how they responded.
Federal ADA charges generally must be filed within 180–300 days. Many state laws give you longer — up to three years in some states. Because deadlines are strict, it’s best to start quickly.
Not necessarily. If the timing and records suggest your disability or accommodation request was the real reason, a stated performance justification can be challenged as a pretext.
No. Disability discrimination charges are filed with administrative agencies that allow authorized non-attorney representatives. Thurgood represents you through that process without the cost of a law firm.
Usually not. These claims are pursued through agency processes designed to resolve disputes — often through investigation, mediation, or settlement — rather than a courtroom.
Depending on your claim, outcomes can include lost wages, reinstatement or a negotiated exit, accommodations, and other relief. Your evaluation gives you a realistic read on what’s possible.
Facing harassment, retaliation,
or wrongful termination?
Answer a few questions to get feedback on your claim & schedule a free consultation with an experienced employee advocate.
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