Most California residents are familiar with Toyota Motor Corporation as a leading car manufacturer. A man who worked for one of the company’s plants in another state alleges that he suffered a wrongful termination. He claims that the company retaliated against him because he applied for workers’ compensation. Additionally, he has named Manpower of WV Inc. as a defendant, because, during the time he was working for Toyota, the staffing company was responsible for paying his wages.
The plaintiff claims that during his employment he injured his rotator cuff. The man then applied to receive workers’ compensation due to his injury. After seeing a doctor, he was placed on restricted duty and not permitted to lift more than 5 pounds.
The plaintiff gave this information to the defendants and expected that he would be offered an accommodation. He alleges that he was forced to perform his job as normal, and his restrictions were not honored. One month after his injury he was accused of violating workplace policies, and he was fired.
The man denies the allegations against him and alleges the wrongful termination was an act of retaliation because he had filed for workers’ compensation and taken advantage of his rights under the Family and Medical Leave Act. The plaintiff is asking the court to award him monetary damages for his complaint. It is illegal for California employers to retaliate against workers who are exercising their rights. Those who are aggrieved may wish to consult with employment law professionals who can help them understand their legal options.
Source: wvrecord.com, “Man says Toyota retaliated against him for workers’ comp claim“, Kyla Asbury, Oct. 14, 2015