Labor & Employment Law Daily Wrap Up, LITIGATION NEWS, TRENDS—New ADA, FMLA, FLSA lawsuits worth noting, (Nov 12, 2025)

By Jonathan Anderson

Employers facing new lawsuits by employees include Tesla, aerospace firms Embraer and Howmet, and information technology company Alight Solutions.

In Howell v. Howmet Aerospace, Inc., Case No. 2:25-cv-1751, filed in the Western District of Pennsylvania on Nov. 10, 2025, the plaintiff alleges disability discrimination and retaliation under the ADA and Pennsylvania Human Relations Act. The plaintiff has a mobility disability caused by lumbar radiculopathy, and as a result, walks with a noticeable limp and often uses a cane or mobility scooter. The complaint alleges that since Howmet hired the plaintiff as a senior cyber security incident responder, his supervisor had been openly hostile toward him, which the plaintiff asserts is because of his disability or perceived disability. According to the complaint, the plaintiff asked to work remotely the month after he was hired because of back pain caused by his disability during long commutes. The request was granted, but the complaint alleges that his supervisor was hostile toward the plaintiff and his need to work remotely. The plaintiff further alleges that his supervisor discriminated against him or retaliated against him by limiting communications with him and failing to provide him with coaching or feedback. The lawsuit alleges that Howmet terminated the plaintiff after he made multiple complaints to human resources. The plaintiff seeks reinstatement or front pay, compensatory and punitive damages, and attorney’s fees.

In Kohls v. Tesla, Inc., Case No. 1:25-cv-01807, filed in the Western District of Texas on Nov. 10, 2025, the plaintiff alleges ADA and Texas Commission on Human Rights Act violations for failure to accommodate, disability discrimination, and retaliation. The plaintiff, who is deaf, uses hearing aids, which, when functional, allow him to communicate effectively and hear necessary alarms, alerts, and verbal communication in workplace environments, according to the complaint. However, the plaintiff alleges that after he began an internship in Tesla’s casting department, the extreme heat and humidity from high-pressure die-casting operations caused his hearing aids to malfunction. The complaint alleges that such conditions “far exceed standard industrial heat levels,” and that the plaintiff could not have reasonably anticipated such conditions. The plaintiff subsequently sought reassignment to a vacant position in a different department where he had already demonstrated successful performance. Nine days later, Tesla notified the plaintiff that he was being “medically separated” and terminated the plaintiff’s employment, according to the complaint. Tesla later asserted that the plaintiff had been hired for the castings department and that transfers were prohibited. The lawsuit seeks reinstatement or front pay, back pay, compensatory and punitive damages, and attorney’s fees.

In Lopez v. Embraer Executive Aircraft, Inc., et al., Case No. 0:25-cv-62268-DMM, filed in state court on Oct. 6, 2025 and later removed to the Southern District of Florida, the plaintiff alleges disability discrimination, failure to accommodate, and retaliation under the ADA and the Florida Civil Rights Act. The plaintiff’s ability to walk, stand, and perform physical tasks is substantially limited after cancer partially destroyed his spine and resulted in a loss of approximately five inches in height, according to the complaint. As a result of his disability, the plaintiff had been granted reasonable accommodations, including use of a chair while performing his job and approval of overtime to address workload demands for major accounts. However, the lawsuit alleges that after new management took over, Embraer revoked his chair accommodation, denied renewed accommodation requests, treated him less favorably than others, and terminated him for pretextual reasons following HR complaints. The plaintiff seeks back pay, front pay or reinstatement, compensatory and punitive damages, and attorney’s fees.

In Squirewell v. Alight Solutions, LLC, Case No. 3:25-cv-13349-JDA-SVH, filed in the District of South Carolina on Nov. 10, 2025, the plaintiff alleges violations of the ADA, FMLA, and FLSA, along with South Carolina wage law. The plaintiff, a full-time senior customer care representative, alleged that Alight terminated his health insurance benefits while he was on approved FMLA leave for a serious health condition, and that he was subsequently disciplined for absences that occurred during the leave period. The suit, filed pro se, further alleges that Alight denied the plaintiff’s requests for leave extensions and manipulated time records. Claims include disability discrimination, failure to accommodate, retaliation, interference with FMLA rights, and unpaid wages/overtime. The plaintiff seeks declaratory and injunctive relief, back pay, front pay, compensatory and punitive damages, liquidated damages, and attorneys’ fees.

Companies: Howmet Aerospace, Inc.; Tesla, Inc.; Embraer Executive Aircraft, Inc.; Embraer Aircraft Customer Service LLC; Embraer Holdings Inc.; Alight Solutions, LLC

News: LitigationNewsTrends EmployeeLeave DisabilityDiscrimination Discrimination Retaliation Discharge WageHour RemediesDamages