Former Merck Pipefitter Files Civil Rights Lawsuit Against Company

A former Merck employee is suing the pharmaceutical giant in federal court, stating his civil rights were violated when Merck discharged him after refusing to give him a job he had been promised, according to The Pennsylvania Record.

Manuel Matos, of Lansdale, was a pipefitter and plumber at Merck from 1999 to 2007, making $90,000-plus a year, according to the article. Matos accepted a management position as production supervisor in Fall 2007, which would give him $71,000-plus and $900 a month in shift premiums, according to the lawsuit.

However, according to the suit, when Matos showed up to start the new position, he was allegedly told the department does not pay the premium.

Then, Matos went out on medical leave in 2008 for depression and anxiety, according to the lawsuit. Matos’ doctor advised he cannot return to his old department, and Merck allegedly refused to place him elsewhere in the company, according to the suit.

Matos then resigned from Merck, but, according to the article, claims he was “effectively discharged” due to the company’s refusal to reassign him to another department.

Read more at this link.