BOP Settles Dyslexia Discrimination Complaints for $2,000
In 1997, Douglas Lewis Urness was working as a GS-11, Step 4 Drug Treatment Counselor for the BOP in Yankton, South Dakota, when his supervisors allegedly discriminated against him due to his dyslexia. The discrimination took the form of supervisors allegedly complaining about him and his disability to coworkers and them telling him: "Find a coping mechanism and deal with it." His quarterly evaluation was lowered. He filed a complaint with the Department of Justice.
The alleged discrimination continued with supervisors telling him that no further accommodations would be made for his disability and previous accommodations would be terminated. They claimed his disability was "self-described" and told him to get diagnosed by a psychologist, even though he had already been diagnosed by the psychologist recommended by the human resources office. The workplace felt hostile and he filed a second DOJ complaint and four complaints with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. All complaints were settled for $2,000 on May 15, 2002. See: Urness v. Ashcroft, EEOC Nos. 320-A2-8150X, -8151X, -8152X, & -8153X.
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Related legal case
Urness v. Ashcroft
| Year | 2002 |
|---|---|
| Cite | EEOC Nos. 320-A2-8150X, -8151X, -8152X, & -8153X |
| Level | Administrative Agency |
| Conclusion | Settlement |
| Damages | 2,000 |
| Injunction Status | N/A |