Cancer patient denied remote work, fired weeks later for 'productivity issues': Report
The worker, diagnosed with stage 2 lymphoma, requested to work from home , but was allegedly told by HR that "remote work is a privilege, not an accommodation."
‘Most dehumanizing work experience,’ says a US employee who was allegedly fired while undergoing cancer treatment – all because he failed to ‘meet productivity standards’ in between his chemotherapy sessions.
The employee has filed a complaint with the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), claiming he was unfairly terminated while undergoing chemotherapy treatment for cancer.
'Remote work is privilege'
Sharing his ordeal on Reddit, he said. “Last fall, I was diagnosed with stage 2 lymphoma. After the initial shock, I immediately sat down with my manager at HealthPlus Insurance (where I'd been a claims analyst for 3+ years) to discuss accommodations during my treatment.”
According to the employee, he requested to work remotely during chemotherapy to reduce the risk of infection, following his doctor’s advice while providing full medical documentation to support this request.
His manager initially appeared supportive, but things changed when the company’s Human Resource department got involved. The employee alleges that HR denied his request, stating, “Remote work is a privilege, not an accommodation.” This decision came despite the fact that, according to the post, the “entire department had worked remotely” during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Instead of granting remote work, the company allegedly offered him unpaid leave on chemotherapy days but required him to be physically present in the office on all other days. When he raised concerns that this violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the HR director allegedly responded, “We employ 49 people, we’re exempt from ADA requirements.”
The employee claims he tried to comply with these terms, showing up to work even when he was experiencing extreme fatigue, nausea, and a weakened immune system. However, his performance suffered. After the second round of chemotherapy, he was placed on a "performance improvement plan" and later fired for “failing to meet productivity standards.”
He said the company even contested his unemployment claim by stating he was fired “for cause.”
The employee has since hired a lawyer and filed a complaint with the EEOC. “This company’s entire business is HEALTH INSURANCE, but they couldn’t show basic humanity to someone going through cancer treatment,” he wrote.
'Couldn’t show basic humanity'
The Reddit community reacted with anger and support. One user wrote, “This company's entire business is HEALTH INSURANCE but they couldn't show basic humanity to someone going through cancer treatment.”
Another commented, “Absolutely disgusting behavior from a health insurance company of all places... denying you remote work when everyone else had it during COVID, then putting you on a PIP during chemo treatments is inhumane.”
A third user stressed on the modern day work culture, saying, “You are only as good as your last good day... When the nut cutting starts, none of that matters, you are expendable trash in their eyes.”
