Sandra Porter, a former office manager, has filed a lawsuit against her previous employer, alleging wrongful termination due to disability discrimination. The complaint was lodged by Melody Rissell Leonard of Rissell Law, APC in the Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco on January 7, 2025. The defendant in this case is Zacks & Freedman, PC.
The lawsuit details Sandra Porter's employment with Zacks & Freedman from June 26, 2023, until her termination on February 8, 2024. Porter claims that her dismissal was unjust and stemmed from discrimination based on her disabilities. In December 2023, Porter experienced severe health issues that required multiple emergency room visits and led to a diagnosis of several disabilities under the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA). Despite keeping the firm's managing shareholder Scott Freedman informed about her condition through text messages from herself and her daughter, she was terminated abruptly after informing him of her improved health and readiness to return to work.
Porter accuses Zacks & Freedman of violating multiple provisions of FEHA by failing to prevent discrimination and retaliation, not engaging in a good faith interactive process to accommodate her disabilities, and ultimately retaliating against her for requesting reasonable accommodations. She asserts that reasonable accommodations such as extended medical leave or the option to work from home would not have posed an undue hardship for the firm. Her complaint seeks various forms of relief including economic damages exceeding $35,000, punitive damages for emotional distress and loss of earnings, as well as equitable relief such as an injunction against further discriminatory practices by the firm.
Porter’s legal representation is provided by Melody Rissell Leonard from Rissell Law APC. The case is being overseen in the Superior Court of California with Case ID CGC-25-621227.