Fema Employment - Employment Discrimination and no help?

Employment Discrimination and no help?

I was fired from my job due to disabillity diescrimination-my employer refused my request to be axempt from an out of state meeting with the sole purpose of talking about how good the company was-nothing to do with the essential functions of the job. I was ignored by the EEOC and teh NJ DCR until I pushed fro an answer-a 2 year process- Their response was that my employer denied it-therefore they could not do anything-I had a thick pile of written evidence proving my arguments. I cannot afford a lawyer, have a new job so am not eligible for free legal aid, and lawyers aren't interested in taking the case pro bono or on contingency. I tried complaining to the NJ public advocate-their response was that the NJ government said they did their job right-so there was nothing they could do-even though I had documents toprove otherwise. I asked NJ Dept of Disability Services for help-the administrator repeatedly gave me false information-I complained all the way to the top-HELP As my question implies-the exemption request was the accommodation fro my disability (I cannot travel-not even for pleasure)-IT WAS NOT THAT I WAS PROTESTING THAT THE MEETING SHOULDN"T BE REQUIRED-that statement is insulting. I keep trying teh media-no luck yet I would let it go-but I am $25000 in debt as a result (actual financial loss $45000)-I was underemployed for 6 months-then unemployed for 6 monthsthe loss amount includes the medical benefits they wer supposed to provide, etc.... Now I can't afford things my HMO won't cover-which is a lot related tomy disability. I have contacted the civil rights offices (EEOC and NJ DCR)-they are the ones ignoring me-rumor has it they are not interested in disabiity discrimination-only racial discrimination- Even if an employee can be fired 'at will'-the will can't be because of discimination-disability or otherwise I have contacted various governemnt officials:congress, senate, governor, president-they just keep referring me back to the agencies I am telling them are not doing their jobs The ADA was signed into law July 26, 1990-before that it was legal to discriminate against people with disabilities unless your state had laws against it Private Businesses are NOT exempt from laws such as the ADA-there was a million dollar verdict against a private business in a case similar to mine As I have stated-I CANNOT travel-so having teh employer cover my way to the meeting is not an appropriate accommodation.

Public Comments

Have you tried a federal body maybe...civil rights branch of some kind. Find the local or federal association relating to your disability and ask the for help. If all else fails get the media involved.
Well I'm a little confused? Was the reason you did want to go on the trip because of you disability or that you didn't agree with the meeting being mandatory for employee's. The way it sounds (as written) to me is that you just didn't think it was important enough for you to bother with and so refused to go. If that is the case then I believe he had the right to fire you. The way it's written your disability had nothing to do with your dismissal and you are now using your disability as an excuse for it. As written that what it sounds like to me, sorry.
Sounds like you have done what you can. You can either contact civil rights office or you can get a lawyer. You say you cannot afford a lawyer so you might just need to let it go. I am guessing your in NJ. Here in Florida, the state is an at will state meaning they can fire for any reason and at any time. So you might be SOL. At least you have another job. You might not beleive in Karma.. But trust me if that guy really did you wrong it will come around to him one day. But try the civil rights. If you had a dissability and you can document that you were fired because of it, they might take your case.
It sounds as if you have, but have you filed a formal complaint with Federal Department of Justice EEOC?
see if there is a TV station that has a helping program. sometimes they have programs to help the consumers and civil cases...if they could get involved those in office might become embarrassed enough to go over the case again.
I'm not at all surprised about the EEOC because I too was discriminated at one time because of my disability and the EEOC told me "The only thing we concern ourselves with are racial discrimination against the blacks and sexual discrimination against women." I fought for well over a year with them and got nowhere. What I ended up doing was being shuffled by the Communist-Wealth of Virginia to a state sponsored rehabilitation institute where I learned a new skill. That was in the '89-90. Contact your State Congressman, State Senator, AND State Governor ASAP. I faxed a 2 page letter demanding an apology, the letters where she called me this insulting name, my resume, documents from my doctor among many other documents that I faxed straight their offices that day back in back in '04 after a deputy commissioner with the Communist-Wealth of Virginia's Worker's Comp. Board called me "Extremely simple man" and saying "You need to stick to jobs that you know how to do." Which in her eyes mean "Cleaning up after the normal people of society" despite having 5 years prior computer experience. She called me this solely due to my speech impairment and nothing more. After I spent the whole day faxing these documents straight to their office about 3 weeks later I got a letter from the State Worker's Comp Board where I not only won my case but I also read where this b*tch lost her job because of it. Paybacks are hell.
Private businesses are exempt from many of the discrimination laws, the Government is not. In many cases a person in a private business can be fired for any reason.
Well if they will cover your way to get to and from the meeting in addition to any accomodations needed when there--whether the meeting itself is mandatory is irrelevant. It's not what you want to do as 'nice' at a job that determines if we are qualified people with disabilities. It is if we the workers can an do successfully complete each and every task which the supervisior believes are important with appropriate accomodations which is the ADA standard.