The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia faces allegations that it fired an anesthesiology technician who asked for extended medical leave during breast cancer treatment, according to The Inquirer.
The allegations come from Kenya Harris, who worked at the hospital for more than a decade and was diagnosed with breast cancer. Ms. Harris reportedly filed a lawsuit Feb. 11 in federal court claiming she was fired after asking, per a recommendation from her oncologist, for 27 more days of medical leave. She had been on medical leave for nine months.
A spokesperson for Philadelphia-based Penn Medicine, of which the hospital is a part, declined to comment to The Inquirer, citing pending litigation. But a termination letter obtained by the publication from last April states that the medical leave extension "would pose an undue hardship for the anesthesia department."
Ms. Harris said that argument had not been brought up previously.
She claims in the lawsuit that her firing violates state and federal laws regarding people with disabilities, but also shows Penn Medicine is not worthy of its positive breast cancer care reputation due to the "vile treatment of its own employee (and patient) in the midst of" treatment.
Ms. Harris underwent multiple surgeries beginning in 2017, including a mastectomy, and was put on a treatment plan of chemotherapy and radiation. She was approved for nine months of medical leave under the under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act. Given the effects she experienced from weeks of radiation, she asked for 27 more days of leave.
Her lawsuit claims the health system, in its reply to the extension request, indicated it would participate in an "interactive process ... to determine if there is a reasonable accommodation that can be provided without imposing an undue hardship," according to The Inquirer. However, the complaint says Ms. Harris instead experienced negative phone calls with a personnel department representative and was fired.
She reportedly seeks a judgment against the hospital and Penn Medicine, in addition to money for "intentional infliction of emotional distress."