The American Civil Liberties Union announced that it has filed a lawsuit on
behalf of an HIV-positive 19-year-old Nebraska woman
alleging that a local restaurant discriminated against her because of her HIV status.
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Download NowPriscilla Doe, who is suing under a pseudonym to protect her privacy, alleges
that the restaurant fired her from her job as a hostess when the owner learned that she was HIV-positive.
"Unfortunately, Priscilla's story is all too common among people with
HIV," says Leslie Cooper, a staff attorney with the ACLU's AIDS Project.
"Stigma and ignorance continue to hound people with this disease, even
though we now know you can't get HIV through casual contact. Fortunately, our
laws make it clear that you can't discriminate against someone because they
have HIV."
The lawsuit against the local restaurant, which was filed in state court, alleges
the owner violated state law. Nebraska law prohibits employment discrimination
against an individual who has or is suspected of having HIV infection or AIDS,
except when the health or safety of another is threatened or when the individual
is unable to perform the duties of the job (NE Rev. Stat. Sec. 20-167 et
seq.).
The ACLU also reported the results of survey that found that many people with
HIV and AIDS experience discrimination in the workplace. The organization based
its findings on interviews with community-based AIDS service providers.
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