Dallas — Assisted Living Concepts, LLC d/b/a Enlivant and North Brook Place, a national owner and operator of senior living facilities, violated federal law by failing or refusing to make a reasonable accommodation to an employee with a disability resulting in her termination, the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) charged in a lawsuit. According to the EEOC, Meeka Henderson worked as a chef at the North Brook Place facility owned by Assisted Living Concepts, LLC d/b/a Enlivant (Enlivant). Soon after she was hired in September 2016, Henderson informed Enlivant that she had a medical condition necessitating hysterectomy surgery and requested the accommodation of a medical leave of absence. Henderson’s direct supervisor approved her request, and she began a medical leave of absence on March 29, 2017. One day prior to her scheduled surgery, Henderson was contacted by Enlivant’s human resources department and was told that if she did not return to work by April 30, 2017, she would be terminated. EEOC alleges that Henderson underwent surgery and provided Enlivant with a doctor’s letter stating that she would not be able to return to work until May 20, 2017. Enlivant denied this requested accommodation and instead, terminated Henderson’s employment on April 30, 2017.
