HUNTINGTON STATION, N.Y. (WCBS 880) — A Long Island man is suing a local Burger King saying he was fired from the job just one day after being hired because of a life-long medical condition.
An emotional Ryan Pacheco told WCBS 880’s Sophia Hall that he has never wanted to be a victim because of his disability, and that is why he has decided to take legal action.
“It’s evil. It’s something that people should never do; and those that have done it should, quite frankly, by ashamed of themselves,” the 20-year-old said.
Pacheco says he was excited to start his new job at the Burger King in Huntington Station last month as a crew member. However, after just one day on the job, he claims he was fired because he wears a colostomy bag and had asked to not wear his shirt tucked in.
“I was told that I was not allowed to be working around food,” Pacheco said. “I had asked her, ‘Am I being let go?’ She said, ‘Yes.’”
He says the news was crushing, especially since his disability does not pose a risk to the restaurant’s cleanliness.
“It felt like a punch in the gut. There's no risk of there being any cleanliness issues whatsoever, I'm always very on top of it,” Pacheco said.
Attorney Jon Bell says the 20-year-old is covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act and they will be suing the franchise owner and the Burger King corporation.
Bell notes that the lawsuit is not about the money, and is more about making a statement and standing up against discrimination.
WCBS 880 reached out to the local Burger King owner, who refused to speak about the lawsuit.
“Unfortunately, we’re learning about this team member’s experience at this time as well. The franchisee is investigating to understand the details,” a Burger King spokesperson said.