In a public Facebook post, Cast Member Morgan Schoepfer has taken Disney to task for refusing to make accommodations for her recognized medical condition while working as a Cast Member, in likely violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
In her lengthy post, Schoepfer accuses Disney of refusing to make reasonable accommodations related to her mild Spastic Cerebral Palsy, a clear violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The ADA requires “reasonable accommodations” to be made which will still allow the employee to do the essential tasks of the job, and all businesses with employees of 15 or more are required to abide by the ADA.
“Since I got here, Disney has refused to accommodate me, in multiple ways, but the most prominent being with my sitting accommodation. I am required to sit every 30 minutes, due to my mild spastic Cerebral Palsy, and chronic fatigue. Disney has refused to meet this accommodation, regardless of multiple complaints and meetings,” she says. “I have been told by leadership VERBATIM, ‘if you need accommodations or you are chronically ill, maybe Disney is not the place for you.'”
Disney’s apparent refusal to accommodate her in spite of appropriate medical documentation presented led her to pass out multiple times in recent weeks. “After being put in positions that do not allow me to sit as often as needed, I passed out 3 times (one time in the arms of one of best friends), hit my head, and started having convulsions,” she continues. “When I got to the hospital and I was checked out, I was told this happened as a result of standing for too long, a direct violation of one of my accommodations.”
One of her chat images attached to the post implies that Schoepfer intends to take legal action against Disney for these violations, although no action seems to have been filed as of publishing.
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This had to be an area Leadership issue as WDW has always gone out of its way to be accommodating to those with special medical needs. One example of this was a College Program student I was asked to train as a custodian. He was unfortunately unable to physically do the job in a safe manner so he was recast into a different role that didn’t have him pushing 200lb trash carts through crowds and he was completely thrilled with his new role. If I recall he was recast into stroller rental. Anyway, I’ve also seen cast members working merchandise and even attractions with sitting accommodations so it’s not unheard of.
Yes, most likely it is a location thing, and if she’s a CP, she cannot move her location due to medical accommodations being stricter at other locations and with her location not being her choose, but by what Disney needs. It’s all based on need.
I know that they do this as my ex needed accommodations and they put him on leave instead of making the accommodation. Then when he came back they still fouhim on giving him a reasonable accommodation.
This is horrible and sadly as a mom to a sp needs child and we have yet to be granted a new das in which many of us have been outspoken to not be treated like just guests going into lighting lane and waiting or even being called disabled. Speaking up to wdw does nothing! It actually might make it worse obviously look here cms cant not even get help. Such a shame.
I was in an ICP like 7 years ago and I broke my foot. I got sent back home since they didn’t let me be in crutches or in a wheel chair to continue working.
I, too, as a visitor at Disneyland was treated so badly when I needed to get a disability pass because I suffer from too much pain and waiting was very hard for me. I people working at the service booth started asking me questions about my condition and refusing me a pass because they never heard of what I had even though I had medical proof from not one, but 3 doctors. They still refused. My friend said that he would give me one and 5 minutes later, he had a pass by faking he had a mental problem. I wrote to Disney corporate offices and no response. It’s been 5 years this happened because they embarassed me in front of people waiting for a pass. After seeing me being treated a gentleman heard what went on and told me he wasn’t given a pass even though he had to use a cane and couldn’t stand for small periods of time.
I know Walt would be very angry with leadership for not giving CM’S who love being there who need special consideration for their disabilities it goes back to the New CEO & his Leadership.
I have seen multiple people with disabilities working at Walt Disney World with canes and wheelchairs and they have no problems with them accommodating them.
Trust me the discrimination is real. How is a department head is going to accuse you of lying of taking care of someone on transplant list when the paperwork for the FMLA is on file? Reality check the doctors have to fill that out and it would be perjury if it wasn’t real.How is a team of management and the same department head going to tell you that you can’t take your seizure medication? That was me when I worked in World Showcase Custodial.
If you’re with Disney Programs you don’t get to choose your location though, and sometimes it’s a location thing. If she shows proof, you should believe her.
I do not believe this at all, my daughter and I were just there and she had her service dog with. Disney went above and beyond to accommodate her and her dog, no question asked by the employees Disney has always been ahead of the curve with Ada and acceptance
But your daughter isn’t a purchased piece of property aka a cast member. We are treated like absolute garbage
This is Disney they do this stuff all the time they don’t care about you as long as you come to work then you work I seen this first hand I work for Them for a 10 years and the college kids go to work holding there stomach because they don’t have money to buy food if they work at one of the food restaurants they won’t feed them I can’t count how many times I bought them food Disney just don’t care about there people they will tell you if you don’t like it quite then they will go out of there way to get you fired I said don’t work for the company.
It appears that this CM did not want to change to a role that was better fit for her OR that role was does not avail.
Certain roles do not allow it because of medical accommodations. They place where the accommodations allow it. Internship people also don’t get to choose where being place.
Well of course. When I was working for Disney I saw situations on the daily to either me or people around me that were illegal. Even when I started to stand up for myself after almost 2 years of this they said what are you going to do about it? You can’t take photo or video evidence you’ll be sued and thrown in jail. The Walt Disney company has billions of dollars worth of lawyers waiting for anyone to slip up. The company is evil and people need to stop worshiping it.
Former CM not going to lie I was discriminated let and right over my Epilepsy. I had to go to HR to be allowed to take my seizure meds when needed but I still got harassed over it when HR told them I needed to take my meds at specific times of the day. These people also had the audacity to accuse me of lying about how sick my Dad was and was under scrutiny when management question me validity of my Dad’s ailments despite submitting papers from his doctors to HR.
I believe it because they did it to me as well.
Praying for Morgan.