Parijat Joy, MD, has sued the University of Iowa and its board of regents over claims of alleged discrimination, Iowa Capital Dispatch reported April 7.
According to the report, Dr. Joy began working with the university in 2018 as a part of its cardiovascular disease fellowship. He then trained for several years as an associate physician at the University of Iowa Hospitals in Iowa City. Later he was promoted to assistant clinical professor in the university’s internal medicine department.
Dr. Joy alleges in the lawsuit that in March 2019, his employer met him with “harassment and hostility” when he requested a flexible schedule to accommodate his child’s recent diagnosis of a neurocognitive disability, which would require intensive medical care out of state.
He further alleges that in September 2019, he was forced to accept a nine-month leave from his fellowship position without pay and benefits so he could travel with his child to a treatment center. The lawsuit alleges that a program director later retaliated against Dr. Joy for exercising his rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act by denying his request for accommodations and insisting he perform intensive clinical rotations.
Dr. Joy claims in the lawsuit that he was “expected to perform at a higher level than his peers” and that he was accused of absenteeism. He claims the “campaign of bullying and harassment escalated to direct disability discrimination” in January 2021 after Dr. Joy fractured his wrist in an accident. He was allegedly denied schedule modifications he requested to heal his wrist and was forced to work multiple rotations, exacerbating his injuries.
His lawsuit also claims that on March 5, 2021, he was informed that his contract would not be renewed the following year. The university claimed that he lacked medical knowledge, was unprofessional and poor at communication.
The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages for violations of the ADA, including discrimination and retaliation. The state has yet to file a response to the lawsuit, according to the report.
In an email, the university told Becker’s that it does not comment on ongoing litigation. Becker’s also reached out to the board and will update this article if more information becomes available.
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