# Can my boss punish me for reporting disability discrimination?

- Jurisdiction: United States
- Practice area: Employment Law
- Published: 2026-10-29
- Last updated: 2026-10-29
- Canonical: https://lawasked.com/us/employment-law/can-my-boss-punish-me-reporting-disability-discrimination

## Question

I work for a large retail chain in Ohio, and I have been with the company for about three years. Last month, around October 15th, I realized my manager was refusing to let me take my scheduled breaks to manage my medical condition, which is a disability. I filed a formal internal complaint with our human resources department on October 20th, hoping to resolve the issue quietly. Since that meeting, things have changed drastically. My manager, who used to be very supportive, has started making my life difficult. On November 2nd, he suddenly cut my weekly hours from 40 down to 15, which has caused a huge hit to my monthly paycheck. He also told me in front of two coworkers that if I kept 'causing trouble' with HR, I wouldn't have a job here much longer. I tried talking to him directly to ask why my schedule changed, but he just ignored me. I am worried that I am being targeted just because I spoke up about my rights. I am unsure if it is illegal for him to reduce my hours and threaten my job security specifically because I filed that complaint with HR.

## Summary

Yes, it is likely illegal for your manager to punish you for reporting disability discrimination. Under federal law, employers cannot retaliate against you for complaining about discrimination or for exercising your rights regarding a disability.

## Analysis

Based on the facts you provided, your manager's actions appear to violate the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The law specifically protects employees who speak up about discrimination. 

Under the primary law governing this issue, "No person shall discriminate against any individual because such individual has opposed any act or practice made unlawful by this chapter or because such individual made a charge..." [1]. This means that because you filed a formal complaint with HR on October 20th regarding your medical breaks, your employer is prohibited from punishing you for that complaint. Retaliation—which is when an employer takes negative action against an employee for exercising their legal rights—is strictly forbidden [1].

Your manager's decision to cut your hours from 40 to 15 on November 2nd and his verbal threat that you "wouldn't have a job here much longer" if you kept "causing trouble" are specific examples of potential retaliation. Additionally, the law states it is unlawful to "coerce, intimidate, threaten, or interfere with any individual in the exercise or enjoyment of... any right granted or protected by this chapter" [1]. His comments in front of coworkers could be viewed as an attempt to intimidate you into dropping your complaint.

Whether these actions are legally considered retaliation depends on whether the manager's decision to cut your hours was actually motivated by your HR complaint rather than a legitimate business reason (like a change in store needs). If the reduction in hours was a direct response to your protected activity, it is illegal.

## Statutory citations

- Civil Rights Act & Americans with Disabilities Act, 42 U.S.C. § 12203 - Prohibition against retaliation and coercion [in force] (https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title42-section12203)
  > No person shall discriminate against any individual because such individual has opposed any act or practice made unlawful by this chapter or because such individual made a charge, testified, assisted, or participated in any manner in an investigation, proceeding, or hearing under this chapter.
- Civil Rights Act & Americans with Disabilities Act, 42 U.S.C. § 12203 - Prohibition against retaliation and coercion [in force] (https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title42-section12203)
  > It shall be unlawful to coerce, intimidate, threaten, or interfere with any individual in the exercise or enjoyment of... any right granted or protected by this chapter.

---
General information only, not legal advice. See https://lawasked.com/disclaimer