Cast Member With Chronic Illness Sues Disney For Wrongful Termination
For many Disney fans, working at one of the theme parks seems like a dream come true. Every day, they get to head into the parks and spend hours surrounded by Disney magic. They get to watch the parades and fireworks shows, get discounts on food and merchandise, and see characters on the regular.
Sounds like the perfect job, right? Well, not according to a lot of people who have worked for the House of Mouse.
Over the past few years, Disney cast members have gone on strike multiple times to demand better pay and more reasonable benefits. They have accused Disney of hurting them with changes to hours worked, time off, sick pay, and more. Many Disney cast members are also unionizing, so they have someone fighting for them.
Related: Disney Cast Member Calls Out “Blatantly Disrespectful” Guest Behavior
Despite the gains made by Disney cast members, they are not all seeing the benefits of fighting for more rights. One Disney cast member claims that she was treated so poorly and so unfairly that she has filed a lawsuit against The Walt Disney Company with the Los Angeles Superior Court.
According to a report from MyNewsLA, Serena Pina-Walker claims that when she was hired to work at Disneyland Resort in October 2022, she alerted them to her cinnamon allergy, as well as the fact that she had lupus, an autoimmune disorder.
Even though they knew about her medical problems, Ms. Pina-Walker alleges that she was forced to work around cinnamon sugar pretzels. She also claims that she was not given reasonable accommodations for her lupus.
Related: “They Don’t Actually Care” – Disney Cast Member Speaks From The Heart
Although she expected that management would grant her leaves as well as give her assignments in an environment that included cinnamon, in February 2023, she was told to work in a kitchen serving cinnamon pretzels, according to the suit, which further states that a manager thought the plaintiff was exaggerating about her allergy and told her to either work there or go home without pay.
As a result, Pina-Walker developed a breathing problem and hives because of the cinnamon, even though she wore a mask, the suit states.
The former cast member claims that she was once examined by a Disney nurse and instructed to go home and rest. However, her manager asked her if she really needed to leave. She also claims that she faced a lot of backlash any time she had to take some medical leave for her lupus. She says that she would be written up for her medical absences and forced to work in a cold environment.
Related: Disney Reportedly Denied Disability Accommodation; Sued by Fired Cast Member
According to the Mayo Clinic, lupus is an autoimmune disorder in which the body’s immune system attacks its tissues and organs. Severe inflammation is the most common problem, as it affects the person’s skin, joints, kidneys, brain, blood cells, heart, and lungs. Other common symptoms associated with lupus are fatigue, fever, lesions, shortness of breath, chest pain, and headaches.
Some Disney fans may be familiar with lupus thanks to Selena Gomez, the star of the hit Disney Channel show Wizards of Waverly Place. The actress has been very open about her struggles with the debilitating disorder. Back in 2017, at just 24 years old, she even received a kidney transplant because the lupus had damaged her organs so much.
Ms. Pina-Walker is suing Disney for wrongful termination, whistleblower retaliation, harassment, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. She is suing for compensatory damages based on actual monetary loss and punitive damages for emotional distress.
Do you think Disney treats its cast members well? Or do they need to step it up and improve the conditions for workers? Let us know in the comments!
