Disability Suit Settles for $230,000 Over Wrongful Discharge

Case Background

Mary Tramil, an individual, initiated the lawsuit against the City and County of San Francisco (CCSF) on March 28, 2019, filing her complaint in the Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco. The dispute arose from Ms. Tramil’s employment with the public entity, where she alleged the City had failed to meet its legal obligations to employees dealing with medical conditions. This filing positioned the case as a significant legal test of a public employer’s duties under state disability laws.

Cause

The primary cause of the lawsuit lay in the Defendant’s alleged failure to comply with the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA). Ms. Tramil claimed the City and County of San Francisco had unlawfully discriminated against her based on a physical disability. The core of the legal action focused on the period leading up to her separation from employment, during which she contended the City failed to provide reasonable accommodations for her condition and did not engage in the required cooperative process to find alternative work options. These failures, she argued, ultimately resulted in her wrongful termination.

Injury

Ms. Tramil claimed that the City’s discriminatory actions caused her profound professional and personal injury. Foremost among the injuries were the loss of her job and a continuous stream of income and employee benefits. This termination led to significant financial hardship, which included the loss of long-term retirement security and health coverage. Beyond financial harm, Ms. Tramil claimed she had endured substantial emotional distress and mental anguish as a direct result of the discrimination and the stress of losing her livelihood. She asserted that the Defendant’s conduct had damaged her professional reputation and her overall quality of life.

Damages Sought