A former Hutchinson Police Department officer is charging the city of Hutchinson with employment discrimination and retaliation.
In a lawsuit filed Thursday in U.S. District Court in Topeka, Devin Berman said he was open with the city and the department about his disability, Tourette’s syndrome, when they decided to hire him in late 2013. However, he claims, he “quickly began experiencing acts of discrimination based on his disability.”
He “was incessantly made fun of at work by other employees in ways such as name-calling, mimicking, and being compared to disabled individuals, such as individuals with autism. No adverse action was taken against the employees for these actions and these actions continued throughout Devin’s employment, even after complaints were made by Devin to his supervisors,” the suit claims.
He was denied advancement and opportunities to move up in the department because of his disability, the suit charges.
(Read more: News – The Hutchinson News)