Richard Becker, 66, is demanding at least $1.5 million from the Chinese computer giant’s U.S. subsidiary after he was fired for improper pay, according to a lawsuit filed Friday in New York State Supreme Court.
He accused the company of “discrimination on the basis of disability in violation of the human rights laws of the State of New York and the City of New York.”
According to the lawsuit, Becker was returning to his hotel near New York City’s Times Square after a business lunch in February when he felt “overwhelmed” and was compelled to act on his urges in a vestibule on a different floor from the main lobby.
“A colleague noticed Becker urinating and immediately reported him to the human resources department – apparently out of spite and malice – even though Becker’s behavior had not harmed anyone,” the lawsuit states.
Becker said he has suffered from chronic bladder disease since 2016 and is undergoing urological treatment. The court filing states that colleagues and managers at Lenovo were aware of his illness.
“Lenovo showed no compassion, let alone compliance with the law. Instead, Becker was fired by his employer within days, following a sham human resources investigation in which he was not even interviewed,” the lawsuit states.
The man from Long Island has been unemployed ever since.
Lenovo did not immediately respond to a request for comment outside business hours.
