LAUSD Hit With Verdict Over Failed Accommodations
Table of Contents
Case Background
A Los Angeles County Superior Court jury returned a split verdict in the employment lawsuit brought by Eric Jones, a former employee, against the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD). The core of the dispute centered on allegations that LAUSD had failed to provide Jones with necessary accommodations for his disability a chronic skin condition and a separate workplace shoulder injury and later retaliated against him for requesting assistance. The case, filed in November 2020, proceeded to trial with Jones seeking damages related to his lost earnings, emotional distress, and career setbacks.
Cause
Jones’s initial complaint, which he later amended, stemmed from alleged violations of California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA). He accused LAUSD of disability discrimination, specifically citing a failure to engage in the legally mandated interactive process and a failure to provide reasonable accommodations for his medical conditions. His claims broadened to include retaliation, arguing that after he requested accommodations, the district subjected him to an adverse employment action. He also claimed the district failed to take reasonable steps to prevent the discrimination and retaliation from occurring. The claims were rooted in the fundamental right of an employee with a disability to workplace accommodations and protection from punitive action for making such requests.
Injury
The alleged injuries spanned both physical and emotional harm, in addition to financial loss. Jones claimed he suffered from emotional distress and mental anguish as a direct result of the district’s actions, which included the adverse employment action he described. Furthermore, his claims addressed a prior shoulder injury sustained at work, for which he had also sought accommodation, alleging that the district’s lack of action or improper handling of his accommodation requests exacerbated his condition and led to further harm.
Damages Sought
Jones sought comprehensive financial compensation. His requested damages included payment for past and future loss of earnings, recovery for lost benefits and other economic losses, and non-economic damages to cover his past and future emotional distress, mental suffering, and physical pain. The total amount of damages was left for the jury to determine based on the evidence presented for each successful claim.
Key Arguments and Proceedings
The trial unfolded as a detailed examination of the employment relationship, focusing on the communications between Jones and the District’s management regarding his health and work duties. The central figures included Jones and Deputy Chief Timothy Anderson, whom Jones identified as the primary point of contact for his accommodation requests.
Legal Representation
Plaintiff(s): Eric Jones
Counsel for Plaintiff(s): Jared M. Irmas | George P. Moschopoulos Esq.
Defendant(s): Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD)
Counsel for Defendant(s): Nazli Alimi | John W. Harris Esq | Herbert Hayden Esq.
Key Arguments or Remarks by Counsel
Claims
Jones’s counsel presented evidence intended to show that Jones had clearly requested a reasonable accommodation from Deputy Chief Timothy Anderson for his skin condition. They argued that following this request, LAUSD took an adverse employment action against Jones, such as denying work opportunities or transferring him, and that this action constituted illegal retaliation. Counsel maintained that the district had a legal duty to engage in a good-faith interactive process to find a suitable accommodation, which it failed to do, and that this failure caused Jones harm. The argument for the shoulder injury followed a similar path, claiming the failure to accommodate his prior injury was a separate contributing factor to his overall harm.
Defense
LAUSD’s defense counsel vigorously contested the Plaintiff’s narrative. The district’s core argument, as reflected in the jury’s findings on some claims, was that while Jones may have requested an accommodation, the district did not subject him to any adverse employment action. They argued that any employment decisions were made for legitimate, non-retaliatory reasons, and not as a punitive measure for requesting a disability accommodation. Furthermore, they contended that any alleged failure in the interactive process or provision of accommodation was not a substantial factor in causing Jones's alleged harm. They sought to demonstrate that LAUSD had met its obligations under FEHA or that Jones's claims failed on the required element of causation.
Jury Verdict
After considering the evidence, the jury reached a mixed conclusion, finding LAUSD liable on several key claims while rejecting others. The jury provided their answers on a multi-part verdict form on July 2, 2025.
The Verdict on Retaliation and Failure to Prevent
The jury agreed that Eric Jones had requested a reasonable accommodation from Deputy Chief Timothy Anderson for his skin condition. However, the jury rejected the core claim of retaliation, finding that LAUSD did not subject Jones to an "adverse employment action." Because the jury found no adverse action, they also found that the district was not liable for the claim of failure to prevent retaliation. These findings eliminated the primary punitive aspects of Jones’s lawsuit.
The Verdict on Accommodation and Interactive Process
Despite dismissing the retaliation claims, the jury found in favor of Jones on the claims concerning the district’s duty to accommodate.
Failure to Engage in Interactive Process: The jury concluded that LAUSD failed to engage in a timely, good-faith interactive process with Jones after he requested accommodation for his skin condition. Crucially, they determined that this failure was a substantial factor in causing harm to Jones.
Failure to Provide Reasonable Accommodation (Skin Condition): Similarly, the jury found that LAUSD's failure to provide a reasonable accommodation for his skin condition was a substantial factor in causing harm to Jones.
Failure to Provide Reasonable Accommodation (Shoulder Injury): The jury also considered the separate claim regarding Jones’s work-related shoulder injury. They determined that LAUSD's failure to provide a reasonable accommodation for that shoulder injury was also a substantial factor in causing harm to Jones.
Damages Awarded
Based on the findings of liability for the failures to accommodate and the failure to engage in the interactive process, the jury awarded Eric Jones damages totaling $300,000.00 against the Los Angeles Unified School District.
Past Lost Earnings and Benefits: The jury awarded $150,000.00 for the wages and benefits Jones had lost up to the date of the verdict.
Future Lost Earnings and Benefits: They awarded $150,000.00 for the earnings and benefits Jones was reasonably certain to lose after the date of the verdict.
The total award of $300,000.00 represents a significant finding against LAUSD for its failures to comply with state disability law, even though the jury did not accept Jones’s assertion that the district had actively retaliated against him. This verdict confirmed the jury's belief that LAUSD’s procedural and substantive failures regarding disability accommodation directly harmed Eric Jones.
Court documents are available upon request at jurimatic@exlitem.com