[nfbmi-talk] a local retaliation story disabilities rights

[joe harcz Comcast]

The Fair Housing Act is another civil rights law that effects the blind and others with disabilities. And this case shows that retaliation against those attempting to ensure the act is followed are protected against retaliation.

 

Joe

 

Senior living group won't discriminate on disability

Zlati Meyer, Detroit Free Press Staff Writer 1:56 p.m. EST November 3, 2014

 

Woman gets $35K in fair-housing wrongful firing case

wheelchair.jpg

 

A Southfield company that operates independent senior living facilities in metro Detroit has agreed to stop discriminating against residents and applicants

based on disability. (Photo: Getty Images/iStockphoto )

A Southfield company that operates independent senior living facilities in metro Detroit has agreed to stop discriminating against residents and applicants

based on disability.

 

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced today that it has reached a conciliation agreement with Huntington Management.

 

A former employee claimed she was wrongfully terminated after reporting fair housing violations. The unnamed employee said the company collected medical

information about residents and applicants to then discriminate against them based on their level of disability and refused to let residents back after

hospital stays unless the staff approved them.

 

As part of the deal with the federal government, the company is paying her $35,000.

 

Adam Kalaydjian, Huntington's director of operations, could not be reached immediately for comment.

 

According to the agreement, Huntington will change some of its policies, including not requiring residents to undergo a "gatekeeping review" before being

allowed back into their homes, not tracking or restricting residents' diets, not requiring residents or applicants to submit their medical information

for evaluation before or after they move in, not turning away applicants due to disabilities and not discouraging residents who develop certain disabilities

to go elsewhere.

 

Huntington's five facilities advertised as independent and enhanced care are Oakmont Livonia, Oakmont Northville, Oakmont Sterling and Oakmont Manor in

Sterling Heights and Oakmont Parkway in Clinton Township.

 

The whistle blower employee worked at Oakmont Livonia.

 

"A settlement like this one in Michigan…sends a message to all independent-living properties in Michigan that they must not violate the Fair Housing Act

and must not retaliate against whistle-blowers who bring Fair Housing Act violations to their attention," said Gustavo Velasquez, HUD's Assistant Secretary

for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity.

 

Contact Zlati Meyer: 313-223-4439 or zmeyer at freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @ZlatiMeyer

 

Source:

http://www.freep.com/story/money/business/michigan/2014/11/03/diability-discrimination-senior-living/18420293/