“Public Urination Scandal: Fired Tech Exec Seeks $1.5 Million in Lawsuit Against Company—What Really Happened?”
A former Lenovo salesman is taking legal action against his ex-employer, claiming discrimination after being terminated for a rather unusual incident—urinating in a public area of a hotel in the heart of Times Square. Richard Becker’s predicament raises the question: how far is too far when it comes to company policies on conduct?
Becker, 66, found himself in this slippery situation after attending a business meeting that left him with a desperate need to relieve himself. He asserts that due to his bladder condition, he was unable to make it to his hotel room and resorted to what he describes as a “discreet” act in the hotel’s vestibule. This awkward moment was witnessed by a Lenovo vice president, who promptly reported him to HR, leading to Becker’s termination just days later. Now, he’s seeking $1.5 million in damages, arguing that his dismissal is rooted in discrimination because the company was aware of his medical condition. Talk about a bathroom break gone terribly wrong—this case just might have significant implications for workplace treatment of disabilities!
A former Lenovo salesman is suing his ex-company for $1.5 million, alleging discrimination after being fired for peeing in a public area of a hotel in Times Square, New York City.
Richard Becker attended a business meeting with his ex-colleagues at a restaurant twelve blocks from The Westin New York, where the employees were staying.
The 66-year-old says that he couldn’t make it to his room because of his bladder issues, so he had to “discreetly urinate” in the hotel’s “vestibule.”
A former salesman at Lenovo is suing his ex-company for $1.5 million after being fired for peeing in a public area of a hotel in New York City
Image credits: Lenovo
A Lenovo vice president who watched the scene quickly informed the Human Resources Department about his behavior, a decision Becker believes was made “out of spite and malice.”
The former salesman was fired four days later. Now, he’s seeking damages of at least $1.5 million, alleging that the tech company knew of his bladder condition and that his termination constitutes a form of discrimination.
Richard Becker suffers from a chronic medical condition that causes him to urinate frequently
Image credits: KE ATLAS/unsplash (Not the actual photo)
Image credits: Dexon Dee/stock.adobe.com (Not the actual photo)
“With knowledge of Becker’s bladder condition (a disability under the law), Lenovo summarily terminated Becker because he suffers from that condition, following an incident that had no impact on Becker’s job performance or Lenovo’s business,” the lawsuit reads, as per The Post.
The lawsuit was filed on Friday (August 23) in Manhattan Supreme Court.
Becker says he relieved himself in the Westin New York’s vestibule after coming back from a business meeting
Image credits: The Westin New York at Times Square/TripAdvisor
Image credits: FABIAN PONCE GARCIA/stock.adobe.com (Not the actual photo)
Becker has suffered from a chronic medical condition that has caused him to urinate frequently since 2016.
His ex-colleagues were aware of his condition and allegedly “poked fun at him for how frequently he needed to use the bathroom.”
Becker went to the bathroom five times during the business meal. When he arrived back at his hotel, he only made it “as far as the hotel vestibule, a deserted area located on a different floor from the lobby,” the lawsuit mentions.
“At that point, embarrassed, panicked, and faced with an emergency, Becker had no choice but to discreetly urinate on the ground behind a column in the vestibule.”
He is seeking $1.5 million in damages, claiming that he was discriminated against and that Lenovo workers were aware of his condition
Image credits: The Westin New York at Times Square/TripAdvisor
A worker at the Westin New York told The Post that the hotel has no space known as the “vestibule.” The only public spaces with columns are the first-floor entrance or the concierge desk on the second floor. Additionally, the lobby has bathrooms.
According to the lawsuit, the 66-year-old joined the Chinese multinational as a Global Account Sales Executive in 2022. His work led to a 200% growth in business and helped the company win several awards, including a trip to Costa Rica.
Becker said that Lenovo understood that his behavior was caused by his disability and alluded to instances where the company dealt with “far worse conduct,” like when a drunk Lenovo employee stuffed a colleague inside a toy vending machine in 2021.
The post Tech Executive Fired For Peeing In Public Area Of Hotel Sues Former Company For $1.5 Million first appeared on Bored Panda.
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