Fired worker says Ohio agency punished her for using disabled parking

The accessible parking space, the complaint alleges, became a recurring problem. It claims a Lead Social Worker began telling Ward in January 2025 that she could not park there despite her disability. On February 3, 2025, according to the filing, that same supervisor reprimanded Ward about the parking in front of several coworkers.

The treatment escalated from there, Ward says. She claims she was singled out for leaving briefly at lunch while coworkers were not, and criticized over an on-call assignment when similarly situated caseworkers were not – what the complaint labels “Disparate Treatment.” She says she reported it on June 28, 2025 to a coworker, her supervisor, and the agency’s director.

Nothing happened, the complaint alleges. It says the agency conducted no interviews, gathered no written statements, and ran no investigation.

In September 2025, the filing says, an assistant director confirmed by email that the agency had approved Ward’s use of the accessible space through the County Commissioners. Days later, according to the complaint, the same supervisor and a lead worker “mocked and laughed at” Ward as she walked down the stairs.

On October 6, 2025, the filing states, a detective issued Ward a parking citation for using the space – despite her valid placard and the approval. The complaint alleges the timing followed close behind her accommodation request and her discrimination complaint.