ST. LOUIS – The Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern District, has affirmed a $4,300,000 judgment against Unifirst Corporation in a lawsuit involving disability discrimination and unlawful retaliation, securing a major victory for Scott Caldwell, a former district service manager who was terminated after suffering a work-related back injury.
The case centered around Unifirst’s treatment of Caldwell following his injury. The evidence established that after Caldwell filed for workers’ compensation, Unifirst stopped providing reasonable accommodations and forced him onto Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) leave against his wishes. Although Caldwell’s physician repeatedly advised the company that he could return to work with accommodations, Unifirst refused to let him return and ultimately terminated his employment in July of 2015.
Following a jury trial, Unifirst was found liable under the Missouri Human Rights Act (MHRA) for disability discrimination and retaliation. Rather than accept the jury’s verdict, Unifirst subjected the plaintiff to nearly a decade of litigation, forcing the case through multiple appeals and post-trial motions.
In its latest decision, the Missouri Court of Appeals dismissed five of Unifirst’s six points on appeal, noting the company failed to timely file its notice of appeal. The court upheld the trial court’s judgment in Caldwell’s favor, bringing the nearly decade-long legal battle to a close.
Caldwell was represented by Dashtaki Law Firm, LLC.
“For nearly a decade, Unifirst deployed its vast resources in an attempt to bury Scott Caldwell in endless litigation,” said lead counsel Cyrus Dashtaki, who has represented Caldwell since 2015. “They unlawfully fired a dedicated manager simply because he requested a reasonable accommodation and opposed discrimination, and then they fought us tooth and nail for years.”
Dashtaki continued: “The appellate court’s ruling sends a resounding message to employers across Missouri: You cannot discriminate or retaliate against your employees, weaponize the legal system to delay justice, and then complain when you are held accountable.”
Dashtaki Law Firm, LLC exclusively represents employees in employment matters involving discrimination based on age, race, sex, religion, national origin or disability, as well as retaliation. Please visit www.Dashtaki.com for more information.