Wal-Mart Distribution Center in Virginia sued over alleged lack of accommodation of employee

From The Bristol Herald Courier in Va.:

A Greeneville man is suing Wal-Mart.

He says Wal-Mart fired him because they didn't want to accommodate his disability.

Charles Goods wasn't about to let a disability stop him from providing for his family.

“I looked at it as yes, I’m a disabled veteran but I still get out there and work. I work for the insurance and my family.”

Goods says he worked at the Wal-Mart distribution center in Midway for 12 years without any problems.

“Everything had been outstanding. No negative evals.”

But all that changed when he says Wal-Mart asked him to fill in for another employee. It was a job he couldn't physically handle.

“I stated I couldn't do it because of lifting requirements because of cancer surgery.”

Goods says he filled out an accommodation request for his disability.

He can't lift much with his right arm after going through many surgeries for cancer.

But he says Wal-Mart didn't accept the request.

“They walked me out of the plant on December 18th.”

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission reviewed Goods’ case and submitted a lawsuit to the federal courts this past Oct. 7.

“I never let my cancer stop me and I wasn't going to let this stop me.”

Now Goods hopes this lawsuit makes sure no one else gets fired because of their disabilities.

Wal-Mart management at the distribution center in Midway could not comment and directed us to their company’s lawyers.

Calls to the lawyers have gone un-returned.

But Goods says after researching the case, he knows he isn't the first person to be fired for asking for accommodations for disabilities.