No specific laws identified for this ruling.
Plaintiff Aaron Lett prevailed on his disability discrimination and aiding-and-abetting claim against the union defendant. The court awarded $283,604.97 in back pay and compensatory damages, plus $19,982.88 in prejudgment interest and $328,733.10 in attorneys' fees, for a total of approximately $632,320.95.
Lett v. Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority
What Happened
Aaron Lett worked in an industry represented by a union. Lett filed a lawsuit claiming the union treated him unfairly because of his disability and refused to make reasonable changes to help him do his job. He also argued the union's actions were so harsh that he was forced to quit—a situation called "constructive discharge."
What the Court Decided
The court sided with Lett. A judge found that the union discriminated against him based on his disability and helped others carry out that discrimination. The court ordered the union to pay Lett approximately $632,321. This included $283,605 in back pay (wages he lost) and compensation for his emotional harm, plus an additional $328,733 to cover his attorney fees.
Why This Matters
This case reinforces that unions must follow disability discrimination laws just like employers do. Workers have the right to request reasonable accommodations for disabilities, and unions cannot retaliate or force workers out for requesting help. Significant financial penalties encourage unions to take these obligations seriously.
This summary was generated to explain the ruling in plain English and is not legal advice.
Other orders and opinions in LETT from the same court.
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