Energy and Sustainability Solutions
Oct 8, 2024
Wells Fargo Under Fire For More ADA Violations
Wells Fargo Accused of More Major ADA & HIPPA Violations; Leaving Disabled Employee & Notre Dame Alum Jobless & Homeless
Charlotte, NC – October 14, 2024 – A former Wells Fargo employee with major depressive disorder, anxiety and a cognitive disability is taking a stand after being wrongfully terminated and facing significant financial and emotional hardship. Despite years of dedicated service, the employee was let go under dubious circumstances, leaving him without a job, a home, or the financial security he had worked hard to achieve.
The worker hoped to purchase his first home and start a family. Instead, those funds have been reduced to nothing, leaving him unemployed, blackballed and homeless.
The plaintiff, one of the 58% of people with disabilities whose accommodation requests would have cost Wells Fargo nothing, had two polite requests denied. Research from Cornell Universityshows that people with disabilities are 2 to 3 times more likely to face workplace discrimination than those without disabilities, facing challenges such as hiring, firing, promotions and lack of reasonable accommodations. Moreover, studies published by the National Council on Disability and Harvard Business Review indicate that people with disabilities who also belong to other marginalized groups—such as racial minorities—face an even higher risk of workplace discrimination, making them particularly vulnerable to compounded bias.
Intellectual Contributions Misappropriated
Documents provided by the plaintiff show that Wells Fargo used his innovative ideas to successfully execute large-scale strategies that helped the company. Despite the significant impact of these strategies, the plaintiff was denied proper credit or acknowledgment. Instead, he faced discriminatory treatment and was excluded from opportunities to advance his career.
This lack of recognition was compounded by Wells Fargo’s refusal to honor his requests for reasonable accommodations. The company not only denied his contributions but also failed to provide a supportive environment in which he could thrive.
Accommodation Request Mishandled by Wells Fargo
After the plaintiff made a formal request for reasonable accommodations—asking to sit in a closed office space rather than an open seating area to help minimize distractions—Wells Fargo responded by moving him to an entirely different floor. Worse yet, his badge access was delayed by several months, though it should have taken only five minutes. This forced him to be constantly escorted by armed security guards to his desk, which greatly exacerbated his anxiety and created a sense of public humiliation.
The plaintiff was placed in an isolated and desolate area on a nearly empty floor, far from his colleagues, who were in another tower. Despite available office space on the same floor as his coworkers, Wells Fargo segregated him, making collaboration difficult and contributing to his feelings of isolation. This undue isolation further harmed his emotional well-being, intensifying his mental health challenges.
Additionally, an executive, who had no legitimate business need to know, unlawfully accessed sensitive information regarding the plaintiff’s accommodations. This executive used that private information to denigrate him to his supervisor, making false accusations that included sitting at executives’ desks, calling for tech support unnecessarily, and not completing his accommodation request. This breach of confidentiality and inappropriate use of his personal health information was a direct violation of HIPAA regulations and intensified the plaintiff’s anxiety, leading to a car accident caused by overwhelming stress.
Wells Fargo’s History of Mistreatment of People with Disabilities
This case comes amid a broader pattern of discrimination and unfair practices by Wells Fargo, a company with a documented history of treating employees and customers unjustly. From widespread allegations of mortgage discrimination to multiple lawsuits concerning employment discrimination, Wells Fargo has faced public scrutiny for its practices.
The plaintiff’s case is part of a growing body of evidence showing how Wells Fargo repeatedly mishandles requests for accommodations from disabled employees, even when the accommodations requested would cost the company nothing. This pattern of behavior is emblematic of the systemic discrimination people with disabilities often face in the workplace.
A Call for Justice
The plaintiff is now calling for accountability, not just for himself but for all individuals who have faced similar injustices. “Wells Fargo promised me good faith resolutions, but instead, they left me destitute,” he said. “No one should have to suffer this way, especially not someone already struggling with a disability.”
This lawsuit draws significant parallels to the Billesdon v. Wells Fargo case, where the bank was ordered to pay over $22 million in damages after terminating a former employee who requested disability accommodations. Billesdon, a former Wells Fargo employee, was terminated after requesting the ability to work from home due to a disability.
Much like Billesdon’s experience, where Wells Fargo used a “cost-cutting” layoff to conceal its unwillingness to provide accommodations for his disability, this plaintiff was similarly subjected to discriminatory treatment after requesting reasonable accommodations. Wells Fargo’s history of resistance to following ADA requirements is once again under scrutiny. The company’s handling of accommodation requests has been a central issue in multiple lawsuits, including Billesdon’s, where the jury clearly sent a message that such behavior is unacceptable.
“I hoped to fight against the stigma of disability through my qualifications. I earned two graduate degrees from top colleges and graduated from an HBCU. But, in the end, I’m just David going against Goliath. Getting punched by Wells Fargo feels worse than getting knocked out by Iron Mike Tyson.”
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Wells Fargo’s Pattern of Misconduct
2. 22.1 Million more reasons to take seriously employee requests (The Hill, 2024)
3. Jury awards $22.1M to Wells Fargo director laid off after WFH accommodation request (HR Dive, 2024)
4. Disabled Wells Fargo worker says he was fired after needing to work from home (Yahoo Finance, 2024)
5. Wells Fargo Must Defend Fired Worker's Disability Act Claims (Bloomberg Law, 2024)
6. Wells Fargo Conducts Fake Interviews for Minority Candidates (Forbes, 2024)
7. Wells Fargo Faces Lawsuit Over Sham Job Interviews (Reuters, 2024)
8. CFPB Orders Wells Fargo to Pay $3.7B (Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, 2022)
9. Wells Fargo’s Mortgage Pricing Discrimination (CNBC, 2023)
10. Wells Fargo Rejected Half Its Black Applicants in Mortgage (Bloomberg, 2022)