FedEx forced to pay more than $6.8 million to Seattle driver in discrimination suit
FedEx has been ordered by a U.S. District Court jury in Seattle to pay a former driver millions in a discrimination lawsuit.
The jury reached a verdict on Monday that David Goldstine was discriminated against for his disability by FedEx and determined the company would pay more than $6.8 million in damages. Goldstine began working as a driver for FedEx in February 2015, and the lawsuit says he was placed on leave after the company found out he had an injured knee.
FedEx spokesperson Kelly Crow said the company was “disappointed” with the verdict, HeraldNet reported.
“Mr. Goldstine was removed from driving while his medical restrictions were assessed, but refused to return to work after he was medically cleared,” a statement read. “We are considering our legal options including an appeal.”
Goldstine had a knee injury since 1993 and has gone through 14 surgeries and got a prosthetic knee in 2010, according to the publication.
On April 6, 2017, Goldstine was delivering a damaged trailer to Portland and found that the door couldn’t be closed, according to the lawsuit. Goldstine said he didn’t try to close the door because “it would be unsafe for him to do so” and called his supervisor, who also couldn’t close the door.
According to the lawsuit, a FedEx Supervisor reprimanded Goldstine for not driving the broken trailer. Goldstine said he explained that it was rainy and he had a “limited range of motion in his knee that makes it difficult to climb into the trailer.”
Per the lawsuit, Goldstine said the supervisor told him: “If you have any limitation that prevents you from closing that door, we need to note that and you may need to find another job.”
The lawsuit states that Goldstine was decertified by FedEx on April 11, 2017 and he was no longer allowed to drive. Goldstine said FedEx told him he wouldn’t be allowed to work until a doctor re-certified him, which he said occurred on April 13, 2017.
Fedex then rejected his re-certification, saying that Goldstine hadn’t disclosed to the doctor that he had a disability, according to the lawsuit.
A FedEx employee “then proceeded to threaten Plaintiff by stating that she could have him prosecuted for falsifying information to the physician and that she could seek a civil penalty against him,” the lawsuit states.
Goldstine said he wasn’t allowed to return to work.
This story was originally published November 20, 2020 at 5:50 PM with the headline "FedEx forced to pay more than $6.8 million to Seattle driver in discrimination suit."