A former state employee of the Missouri House will get more than $2 million in damages after a Cole County jury ruled in his favor in a civil lawsuit over disability discrimination and unlawful retaliation.
The order for the payment came this week, according to online court records, from Cole County Judge Cotton Walker who presided over the April trial in the lawsuit filed by Eric Qualls in 2018.
The jury found the state had failed to accommodate for disability, committed unlawful discharge based on disability and two counts of unlawful discriminatory practices.
Qualls was fired in 2017 after he said he requested workplace accommodations related to his disability and reported discriminatory treatment. The lawsuit alleged Adam Crumbliss, the former chief clerk of the House, became upset in a meeting when Qualls said he would contact the Missouri Commission on Human Rights (MCHR); Crumbliss fired him just minutes later.
Qualls said the retaliatory discharge was in violation of the Missouri Human Rights Act and the House of Representatives' policies.
Qualls' job included analyzing and summarizing legislative proposals, drafting legislation, assisting members of the House and error checking bills.
Prior to his employment, Qualls was diagnosed with a medical disability that, according to his lawsuit, limits his activities including his sleep, concentrating, thinking and interaction with others.
In February 2017, while meeting with supervisors, Qualls' work ethic was questioned, although no concerns about his job performance were filed against him. It was after this meeting Qualls said he filed a grievance over reasonable accommodations due to his disability.
In March 2017, House officials set up a meeting with Qualls to discuss his request, which included a quieter area to work in and being able to work from home some days. Crumbliss was among those at the meeting, according to the lawsuit. Qualls said Crumbliss denied that his employment was being threatened. Shortly after the meeting, Qualls said he was fired.
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