No window desk? That'll cost you $33M, she says in suit

New York Daily News ^ | May 26, 2007 | Mike Jaccarino

[Zakeet]

She's definitely not a woman for all seasons.

A Connecticut secretary who suffers from the "winter blues" is suing her ex-employers for $33 million, claiming they wouldn't give her a well-lit desk with a window view.

Caryl Dontfraid says she has seasonal affective disorder, which causes depression during the fall and winter and can be alleviated by exposure to bright light.

"She wanted to work closer to a window with good light," her attorney, Robert Campos-Marquetti told the Daily News. "This is a request that could have been easily accommodated."

Dontfraid was cited as an "exemplary employee" for Binder & Binder, a Park Avenue law firm specializing in disability claims.

But things soured after she told supervisors on Sept. 14, 2004, about her condition, she claimed.

"She asked if it was possible for her to work at home during certain times of the year and we said, 'No,'" said David Hill, a Binder & Binder supervisor.

[Snip]

Hill said Dontfraid's new seat was just 3 feet from a window.

"I said, 'Why don't you give it a few days? If you're not comfortable, I'll do my best to accommodate you,'" Hill recalled.

"She just refused to take her work station ... What was I going to do? Workers have to work."

Dontfraid declined to comment, telling a reporter, "I'm not going to go there."

[Viking2002]

Let's see: she's suing her employer, who specializes in suing on behalf of people with disabilities, because she herself has a disability. I wonder if the law firm will sue themselves in this case? *CHUCKLE*

[ErnBatavia]

Binder & Binder....that schmuck with the natty leather fedora on his TV commercials

[EQAndyBuzz]

How SAD!!!!

[joebuck]

“I am currently on tour in the New York City area, where I speak about my life with depression to school children.”

Boy, that sure sounds like a lot of fun for the kids.

[Calvin Locke]

I thought of that epi of Northern Exposure with a bunch of them wearing SAD light glasses for the duration.

[David_G_Burnet]

Looks sad to me. /s

[Malsua]

Binder and Binder...the sharks fleecing the US taxpayer(i.e. social security) so you don’t have to. Couldn’t happen to a nicer group of fellas.

I have DAS the inverse of sad, I call it “Deliberately Avoiding Sunlight”. I loathe sunlight. It blinds me, burns my skin, washes out my monitor and makes my truck too hot. Give me cloudy overcast days please. Perhaps my fair skin, redish blonde hair, and northern European ancestry has something to do with it. I could also be a vampire.

[mamelukesabre]

FEDORA?

You’ve got to be kidding. Who wears those? Besides a few 100 year old guys that might still be around and mobile?

[apocalypto]

Dontfraid is a nut case I would avoid. She is playing the “sue anybody for anything” game like a true sociopath.

[slow5poh]

after seeing that picture, I’m surprised she didn’t accuse racism as well. makes me sick, just another freeloader looking for a free ride.

[hunter112]

Wow a law firm specializing in disability claims being sued for violating someone's disability. Dayum, that's some karma right there.

Yeah, Binder and Binder, the very worst of the ambulance chasers in the business. Around here, you can't watch an hour of daytime television without seeing one of their ads looking for malingerers. Karma, indeed!

[Zakeet]

The nice lawyers help their clients collect Social
Security disability payments. You can read more
about them here.

[tenthirteen]

Ambulance chasers, indeed. They should rename it Binder, Binder & Schumer.

[Truth29]

Sounds like the old joke title: Douwe, Cheatem and Howe.

[theFIRMbss]

>I'm ashamed of you freepers--jumping on this poor woman like that

If the Muslims win
and take over the country,
lawsuits like this one

almost certainly
would get handled in a way
that would make us smile...

[ridesthemiles]

Next, she’ll want a corner office.”

With an executive bathroom.......

This is one of the most stupid lawsuits I have ever heard of. 3 feet from the window wasn’t good enough? How was the desk situated? I would be tempted to show her the window-—from the OUTSIDE and ask her is she is related to Spiderman.

Boy oh Boy am I glad I no longer hire/fire “employees”.....

[Red_Devil 232]

This is very encouraging! I have SDS! Sand Deficiency Syndrome. I just discovered it while reading this post! This Particular variety of SDS requires a slight pinkish tint to the sand ... Hmmmm ... something like you can find in the Bahamas! Think I can get this HR and my boss?

[Popman]

She spoke to Hill and "reiterated her need to be placed in a different workplace as a reasonable accommodation," and was fired later that day, the suit alleges.

I think this lady needs to understand the meaning of reasonable

I used to do the final interview for hiring all new employees where I worked.

Part of my interview process was to make sure the potential employee understood the Americans with Disabilities Act and what reasonable accommodation meant.

I basically told them if you have a "documented" disability of any sort you need to tell me so we are in compliance.

Thanks Bush #41

[mombyprofession]

“Sounds like the old joke title: Douwe, Cheatem and Howe.”

It’s funny- I have 3 friends named Mike- Dodge, Slaughter & Lynch! I thought they’d make the perfect law firm name.