Kevin Berling, an office worker in Kentucky, has won $ 450,000 (over 10.3 million VND) in a lawsuit against his former boss for organizing a birthday party. The cause was initially strange to the law enforcement, but Berling’s later account made them realize the problem.
Kevin Berling suffers from an anxiety disorder that causes him to experience panic attacks every time he becomes the center of attention in a crowded place.
It was for this particular reason that Berling asked his bosses at Gravity Diagnostics, a medical laboratory in Kentucky, not to throw him a surprise birthday party.
However, a manager at the company forgot about Berling’s previous request. Therefore, they still organize a surprise birthday party for him. That caused Kevin to panic and frantically rush out of his own celebratory party.
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According to Kenton County court documents, Kevin Berling’s surprise birthday party took place on August 7, 2019. Things did not go as planned by his former boss and colleagues, because Berling himself was panicked and quickly ran out of the office, rushing into his car.
Berling’s response did not satisfy the owners of Gravity Diagnostics. Berling’s unusual reaction led them to make the decision to fire him just a few days later. The company’s management felt that Berling could be an individual with the potential to cause uncontrollable eruptions in the workplace.
This dismissal decision only caused Berling to receive another mental panic attack. Berling later sued Gravity Diagnostics for disability discrimination and retaliation. He claims he has suffered and continues to experience a loss of income and social welfare, as well as emotional and mental suffering and anxiety.
In court, Berling’s lawyer proved, “For someone with panic disorder, being the center of attention in a crowd can be stressful.”
Therefore, the Kenton County court recently awarded Berling $ 450,000 in damages, but his former boss still has the opportunity to appeal the judge’s decision because he thinks it is all out of good will. celebrate Berling’s birthday.