Pennsylvania court permits disability claim in ex-landscaper's wrongful-termination suit

In Scranton, a federal court granted a former landscaping employee permission to expand his lawsuit with a claim of disability discrimination, asserting he was terminated after revealing his own cancer diagnosis and requesting time off for treatment. While the employer first blamed the dismissal on inadequate performance, discovery uncovered a company text that worried the employee’s brother’s cancer news could affect his job.

This contradictory evidence prompted the court to allow the additional claim. Judges also indicated that equitable tolling could justify the employee’s late filing with the EEOC, given the employer’s alleged deception about the firing’s cause. The ruling highlights how internal communications can reshape employment litigation. The case proceeds with the new claim now part of the docket.