Frank Abbruscato has filed a lawsuit against his former employer, alleging discrimination and wrongful termination due to his disability. The complaint was filed on December 9, 2024, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana against Thionville Laboratories, LLC.
The case revolves around allegations that Thionville Laboratories unlawfully terminated Frank Abbruscato's employment as retaliation for taking short-term disability leave. Abbruscato claims that he faced discrimination based on his disability after suffering from sepsis, which required an extended hospital stay and subsequent rehabilitation. According to the complaint, he was a valued employee with glowing reviews and a reputable publication in the New England Journal of Medicine before these events unfolded.
Abbruscato began working at Thionville as a Chemist and Microbiologist in September 2021. His troubles began after undergoing hip replacement surgery in late 2022, which led to a brief period of short-term disability leave. During this time, he was not required to pay insurance premiums directly; however, upon returning to work in January 2023, those premiums were deducted from his paycheck. The situation escalated when Abbruscato was hospitalized again in May 2023 due to severe shoulder pain leading to sepsis. This medical emergency resulted in another period of short-term disability.
Throughout his recovery, Abbruscato kept his supervisor at Thionville informed about his condition and anticipated return date through regular updates. Despite this communication, he received a termination letter on October 14, 2023, citing failure to pay insurance premiums and lack of progress updates as reasons for dismissal. Abbruscato contends these justifications are false and serve as pretexts for discrimination.
The lawsuit asserts violations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Louisiana state law regarding disability discrimination. It argues that Thionville failed to accommodate Abbruscato’s disability appropriately and retaliated against him by terminating his employment unjustly. As part of the legal proceedings, Abbruscato seeks compensation for lost wages and benefits both past and future, damages for emotional distress and harm to professional reputation, liquidated damages equal to backpay plus interest, attorney fees, court costs, and any other relief deemed appropriate by the court.
Representing Frank Abbruscato are attorneys Amanda J. Butler and Megan W. Kelley from Business Law Group LLC based in New Orleans. The case is being heard under Civil No. 2:24-cv-2834 with no specific judge or magistrate named yet.