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Former Marine Jonathan Brown was discharge from the military about two years ago after injuries to his eyes left him unable to serve. And it’s because of that injury that his employer fired him from the gym he had been managing last summer.
For nearly two years, Brown had been employed by New Life Fitness World in Lexington, S.C., when he was suddenly called into the office of a newly hired regional manager and told his employment “wouldn’t work out.” Brown had just returned from a regular doctor’s appointment at the Veterans Affairs hospital, when his boss, Jonathan Moreno, terminated his employment.
“It was kind of a surprise,” Brown told reporters. But even more surprising was the reason as to why he had been dismissed. The paperwork clearly showed that the reason he had been dismissed by New Life Fitness World on July 31 was for being a “disabled veteran.”
Trying to turn around the decision, Brown offered to work nights and weekends to make up for the time taken for the doctors’ appointments but Moreno still refused. “His mind was made up by the time he was even walking in the building,” Brown said.
Brown served six years in the Marine Corp and was deployed in Iraq, where he operated a 25mm cannon before he was discharged for his eye condition. Symptoms of his condition included blurred vision and shaking in both eyes, yet he is still unclear as to what caused his injury.
Brown’s attorney, James Smith, released a statement that read, “[It] is so clear a violation of the [Americans With Disabilities Act], and obviously they need an education.”
When Moreno, who left New Life Fitness World, was confronted with the allegation that he fired because of disability he called the charge, “horse***t.” He stated that the actual reason for Brown’s termination was because of customer service complaints, for failing to keep the gym clean, and for not meeting his sales goals.
But Brown’s previous manager, Jody Parks, said Brown was “a great guy [and a] good employee.” When investigating, Brown’s final paycheck shows the gym paid him $150 in bonuses for meeting production, sales and membership goals.
Even more suspicious is Ciye Malcuit’, owner of the gym, comment saying, “I was advised not to say anything.”
An attorney for the gym, Tobias Ward, told reporters that Brown’s termination “is hotly contested,” adding that “management vigorously disputes the reason for termination given by Jonathan Brown in his lawsuit.
