Service dogs can be a lifesaver for people with medical conditions and disabilities, specially trained to help them with all kinds of tasks throughout their day. These dogs can be especially beneficial to military veterans, helping soldiers with PTSD and injuries return to civilian life.
But one veteran was devastated recently after suddenly being let go from his job — a wrongful termination he says was over his service dog.
Zack Thompson served in the US Army in Iraq in Afghanistan. As a combat engineer, he was tasked with finding improvised explosive devices — a job that left him with traumatic brain injury and PTSD.
“I was blown up multiple times. I had gotten 11 concussions while I was in the Army,” he told Arizona’s Family. He was medically discharged in 2016.
Like many returning vets, Thompson now receives assistance from a loyal service dog named Han, who helps him with tasks throughout the day.
Last year, Thompson started working for the city of Buckeye, Arizona. It was a job he loved, and he was looking forward to settling in and working there for the long haul.
“I honestly thought that was going to be where I ended my career. I loved it,” Thompson said. “I loved who I worked for. I loved who I worked with. I got to work for the city I live in. My kids go to school here. I got to make an impact on my community and that’s very important to me.”
Thompson recently received a glowing performance review, and everything seemed to be going well — but then, he was abruptly let go from the job. “It came out of nowhere,” he told Arizona’s Family. I had never had any kind of issues or altercations.”
The veteran now suspects he was let go because of his service dog. Thompson had been filling out ADA paperwork to be able to bring Han into work with him. But a new boss, brought in right before his firing, disagreed.
“The day that I was supposed to start bringing him in, I was fired. That’s where I feel like the discrimination happened.”
While Thompson has now found new employment — a gruelling process that took six months and 700 applications — he was stung over losing his beloved job, and filed suits of wrongful termination and discrimination.
He said that it is a matter of standing up for fellow veterans with disabilities, and their right to work. “I want to be an advocate for veterans and for disabled veterans and for disabled people to know that us having service animals or a wheelchair or crutches or a cane is us trying to be normal, it’s not us trying to get attention.”
City officials declined to comment on the case. A GoFundMe page was set up to financially support Thompson and his family.
It’s terrible that this veteran lost his job over the service dog he relies on, and we hope he is able to get some justice in this case.
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