CLAIMS HIS EMPLOYMENT WAS TERMINATED DUE TO DISABILITY, RETALIATION
A former deputy in the juvenile office of Platte County (Sixth District) Circuit Court is suing the court and Platte County for alleged workplace discrimination and retaliation.
Dalton Vanderbilt of St. Joseph, approximately 53 years old, filed the lawsuit last August. Judge Chad Gaddie of the Fifth Judicial Circuit of Andrew and Buchanan County is assigned to the case.
Vanderbilt’s lawsuit asks the court to enter judgment against the defendant for “actual damages, special damages, attorneys’ fees recoverable by statute, and all such further relief the court deems just and equitable.”
The most recent online docket entry in the case was made on Jan. 6 noting Vanderbilt’s first request for production of documents to defendant and plaintiff’s first set of interrogatories to defendant.
In the lawsuit petition, Vanderbilt says he began employment as a deputy juvenile officer for the Sixth Judicial Circuit in May of 2024. He was placed under the supervision of Rhonda Haight, juvenile officer.
Vanderbilt’s document says he “was a model employee.” The petition states Vanderbilt suffers from a disability that substantially limits one or more of his life activities, such as ambulating, walking, and climbing or using stairs and requires a cane in order to ambulate.
During his term of employment, Vanderbilt “was made to go up a flight of stairs to get to his office that proved to be increasingly difficult and painful with his disability,” according to the allegations. When Vanderbilt discovered that he would require surgery on his left knee on July 9, 2024, he sent an email to the county’s human resources representative requesting an accommodation for his disability. He was advised to check with his superior (Haight) about accommodations.
In his message to Haight, Vanderbilt explained the knee situation, requests to use the elevator, and sought “accommodations for out of town training.”
According to the petition, Haight responded to Vanderbilt with: “You are welcome to use the elevator anytime you need to. The upstairs door is locked and is to be kept locked but your office key will unlock the door. It used to be an alarm went off upstairs if the door was messed with but I am not sure if that alarm still works. You might want to test it out while you are upstairs. You might want to review the county and office policies if you are to be gone for an extended period of time due to medical reasons, just so you will be aware.”
Haight also informed Vanderbilt, according to the lawsuit, that the elevator area was used as a storage room and that he would have to pass through a locked door that may or may not be linked to an emergency exit alarm. “Further, the elevator area was cluttered and difficult to navigate,” according to Vanderbilt’s lawsuit.
“Ms. Haight told (Vanderbilt) that the last time the elevator was used the woman who used it was stuck in it for four hours before anyone knew she was there, laughed at him, then wished him luck,” the lawsuit alleges.
Vanderbilt’s lawsuit alleges his request for accommodations for out-of-town training was “wholly ignored.”
The lawsuit says Vanderbilt attempted to use the elevator, but “found it to be less than adequate and reasonable, in that the clutter in the room made it impossible to pass in and out due to his disability, and using the door sounded an emergency exit alarm.”
Vanderbilt alleges he made another attempt at seeking accommodation via email to Haight in the beginning of August 2024 which “was completely ignored by Haight.”
The suit goes on to state that “other offices were available on the first floor and in the main courthouse which would have accommodated plaintiff’s disability without putting an undue hardship upon defendant.”
The suit further alleges that “immediately after (Vanderbilt’s) additional attempt at seeking a reasonable accommodation, defendant terminated plaintiff’s employment with no stated reason with a backdate to July 2024.”
According to online court records, Vanderbilt is being represented by attorneys Jonathan McCoy of Kansas City and Sarah Jessica Duggan, also of Kansas City.
The Sixth Judicial Circuit Court is being represented by attorneys Justin Larson and Nicolas Taulbee, both of Kansas City, while the county is being represented by attorney Matthew Gist, also of Kansas City.
