MONROE, La. – A Louisiana man claims his former employer discriminated and retaliated against him as well as failed to make accommodations for his disabilities before terminating his employment.
Plaintiff Philip Anthony Snellgrove, a resident of Ouachita Parish, filed his lawsuit in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana, Monroe Division.
The named defendant in the suit is Graphic Packaging International, an Atlanta-based consumer packaging solutions company that makes items such as folding cartons, cups, and other food service packaging.
“Defendant subjected Plaintiff to an adverse employment action – termination – on account of his disability,” the 15-page complaint states.
“The pattern of adverse actions, beginning with immediate placement on a performance plan following the July 2024 disability disclosure, escalation to a formal PIP in December 2024, and termination five days after Plaintiff filed his disability claim, demonstrates that Plaintiff’s disabilities were a motivating factor in the termination decision.”
According to his complaint, Snellgrove worked for Graphic Packaging for years in IT support at the West Monroe Mill facility and was converted to a permanent employee in 2019.
He claims Graphic Packaging knew of his mental health conditions for years, including his ADHD disclosure in 2020 and his broader disclosure of Major Depressive Disorder, ADHD, OCD, and Generalized Anxiety Disorder in July 2024.
After his disclosure, Snellgrove claims Graphic Packaging “escalated” performance scrutiny instead of engaging in a “meaningful interactive process.”
Immediately following his disclosure in July 2024, Snellgrove alleges Graphic Packaging placed him on an initial performance plan – the first such formal action taken against him since he became a permanent employee in 2019, he noted in his suit.
Then, on Dec. 11, 2024, the company issued him a formal eight-week Performance Improvement Plan, or PIP.
“Defendant never engaged in the interactive process required under the ADA,” the complaint states.
“Defendant never requested medical documentation to understand Plaintiff’s functional limitations; never proposed or discussed specific reasonable accommodations; never consulted with Plaintiff about what modifications might address his performance difficulties; and never engaged in a good-faith bilateral dialogue about how to enable Plaintiff to perform the essential functions of his position.”
Snellgrove contends the performance “deficiencies” cited by Graphic Packaging, including tardiness, difficulty completing tasks, concentration issues, and organizational challenges, are “classic manifestations” of his diagnosed conditions.
Eventually, on Jan. 17, 2025, due to his worsening mental health conditions, Snellgrove contacted Graphic Packaging’s third-party leave administrator, Lincoln Financial, and filed a short-term disability claim and requested a medical leave of absence beginning Jan. 25, 2025, and ending Feb. 9, 2025.
“Plaintiff was not aware, prior to filing, that management had already informally recommended his termination,” the lawsuit states. “No one told him before his January 17 disability filing that termination was imminent.”
Five days after Snellgrove filed his short-term disability and FMLA leave request, and three days before his leave was scheduled to begin, Graphic Packaging terminated his employment.
“Defendant terminated Plaintiff for the symptoms of his disabilities without ever engaging in a meaningful effort to determine whether reasonable accommodations, such as a modified schedule, flexible reporting time, or mental health leave, could have enabled Plaintiff to perform the essential functions of his position,” the complaint states.
Reasonable accommodations were available and would have been effective, Snellgrove argues.
He acknowledges in his filing that, in hindsight, he would have accepted accommodations if he had understood that Graphic Packaging general statements about “support” constituted ADA accommodation offers.
Snellgrove seeks back pay, front pay or reinstatement, liquidated damages, punitive damages, pre-judgment interest, attorney fees and costs.
Mixon Carroll & Frazier LLC in Columbia, Louisiana, is representing him in the action.
