SAN DIEGO — A former employee is suing a restaurant chain, alleging disability discrimination and wrongful termination.
Pearce C. Cordray filed a complaint Nov. 22 in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California against Cohn Restaurant Group Inc., alleging violation of the 1964 Civil Rights Act and of the American with Disabilities Act.
According to the complaint, on Aug. 6, 2015, while working for Cohn Restaurant Group as a food and beverage server, Cordray was the victim of a physical assault by a co-worker. Cordray says he was punched in the head and fell backward onto a concrete floor and lost consciousness, which, ultimately, led to the plaintiff suffering amnesia and slurred speech.
The suit says Cordray was on fulltime disability from August 2015 until November 2015, but after returning to work, he was terminated from his employment without excuse.
The plaintiff alleges Cohn Restaurant Group failed to engage in the interactive process to reconsider employees eligibility for employment/reemployment, terminated Cordray without a concrete or valid reason and refused to make reasonable accommodations for the employee's perceived handicap.
Cordray seeks trial by jury, compensatory damages exceeding $500,000, plus prejudgment interest, exemplary, punitive and general damages of more than $500,000, costs of suit and all other relief the court deems proper. He is represented by attorney Doc Anthony Anderson III of Law Offices of Doc Anthony Anderson III in San Diego.
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California case number 3:17-cv-02375-GPC-NLS