A former Walgreens employee who worked as a cashier for 18 years has filed suit against Walgreen Co. after she was fired for eating a $1.39 bag of chips during one of her shifts.  The cashier -- like 8 percent of the population of the U.S. -- is diabetic and normally brought candy to work to prevent her blood sugar from dropping too low.

During one of her shifts in 2008, the Walgreens employee said she felt her blood sugar dropping but didn't have a snack with her. In a statement from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission she states, "I knew I needed to do something quickly, so I reached for a bag of chips and paid for them as soon as I could.  I'm very upset to lose my job over this."

Despite being aware of the woman's medical condition and the fact that she paid for the bag of chips, Walgreens officials fired the 18-year employee.  The lawsuit seeks damages for back pay, punitive damages, compensation for emotional distress, and the implementation of company policies that will prevent future disability discrimination.

To speak with an experienced employment attorney about what to do if you or a loved one has experienced disability discrimination in the workplace, contact the Houston disability discrimination attorneys of Ross Law Group at 800-634-8042 today.