KM&A Files Lawsuit Against Valeski’s 4th Street Market

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Woman Files a Complaint Against Valeski’s 4th Street Market for Unlawful Cancellation of Health Insurance

Loyal employee’s health insurance cancelled during medical leave from work.

Pittsburgh, PA, June 5, 2017 – Kraemer, Manes & Associates LLC “KM&A” has filed a complaint for unlawful cancellation of health insurance against Valeski’s 4th Street Market for the Western District of Pennsylvania.

The complaint alleges that Plaintiff’s employer, Valeski’s 4th Street Market, unlawfully cancelled her health insurance after she underwent back surgery. Before Plaintiff planned to return to work after surgery, Valeski’s 4th Street Market wrongly cancelled her health insurance without notifying Plaintiff. Valeski’s conduct is unlawful and discriminatory.

Plaintiff dedicated almost twenty-eight years as an employee of Valeski’s before she needed major back surgery. At the time, Plaintiff received health insurance from her employer. As a result of her surgery, Plaintiff could not return to work for eight months. Although initially intending to return to work, Plaintiff’s relentless back issues led her to leave her job a few weeks before she was initially scheduled to return. However, unbeknownst to Plaintiff, Valeski’s terminated her health insurance the day before she sent her notice of resignation. Unknowingly robbed of her health insurance, Plaintiff underwent another necessary surgery for her thyroid about a week later. Almost a month after her thyroid surgery, Plaintiff received notification from UPMC that she no longer had health insurance. As a result, Plaintiff is now burdened with hefty medical expenses.

Valeski’s behavior is illegal and wrong. Because Valeski’s did not cancel health insurance for other employees in similar situations as Plaintiff, Valeski’s behavior towards Plaintiff is discriminatory. In addition, Valeski’s conduct in cancelling Plaintiff’s insurance based on her health issues established an unlawful rule for continuing eligibility based on health factors. This conduct cannot be tolerated.

Full text of this complaint, as filed with the District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, is available at docket no: 2:17-cv-00642 DSC.

Kraemer, Manes & Associates LLC is an employment law firm with principal offices in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, serving all counties in Pennsylvania, focusing on employment law, business law, litigation, and civil issues. KM&A clients include employees, small businesses, parties in litigation, and people with a variety of legal issues.

For more information about this case, contact Christi Wallace at (412) 626-5575 or at cw@lawkm.com.

NOTICE: All information contained in this statement comes from the Complaint which has been filed as a public record with the court. As dedicated civil rights attorneys, we strongly believe in the public value of telling our clients’ stories: violators can be held accountable, and other silent victims can feel empowered to stand up for their legal rights. Although we make every attempt to verify our clients’ claims, note that the defendant is expected to oppose our client’s position, and the court has not ruled one way or the other as of the date of this statement.