Borough Woman Suing Saucon Valley Manor

A Hellertown woman has filed a lawsuit against her former employer----in which she alleges that she was unfairly fired after she took a leave of absence to seek treatment for alcoholism, according to a story published by the Express-Times Tuesday.

The newspaper reports that Julie Diaz, of East Saucon Street, is suing the Hellertown assisted living facility and owner Nimita Kapoor-Atiyeh for $150,000 in punitive and compensatory damages.

Diaz worked as a cook at the manor until July 2010, when she took a leave of absence in order to enter treatment, the story indicates.

It adds that the lawsuit claims that Diaz subsequently lost her job in spite of the fact that she was seeking a reasonable accommodation for her disability--alcoholism--which it alleges was a violation of the Family and Medical Leave Act and the Americans with Disabilities Acts.

Kapoor-Atiyeh says the charges are false, and her attorney, John K. Baker, said a vigorous defense against them will be mounted in court, according to the article.