NEW ORLEANS – A Jefferson Parish has filed a suit against her former employer seeking reinstatement to her position. She alleges she was wrongfully terminated because of her disability.
Kim H. Hennig filed a complaint on Feb. 6 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana against Smoothie King Franchises Inc. alleging that the former employer violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act.
According to the complaint, the plaintiff was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2002 and takes medication to counteract short-term memory loss. The plaintiff alleges that in May 27, 2015, very shortly after she launched defendant's new product and one month prior to her second quarterly bonus, she was terminated from her employment. She alleges she has suffered a loss of pay, benefits, and prestige, mental and emotional distress. The plaintiff holds Smoothie King Franchises Inc. responsible because the defendant allegedly failed to provide reasonable accommodations, subjected her to discrimination and disparate treatment and terminated her because of her disability and sex.
The plaintiff requests a trial by jury and seeks compensatory and punitive damages, reinstatement, front pay, attorneys’ fees and costs and all other relief as the court deems just and proper. She is represented by Robert E. Couhig III and Claire E. Pontier of Couhig Partners LLC in New Orleans and William J. Kelly III of Kelly & Walker LLC in Denver, Colorado.
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana Case number 2:17-cv-01053