What is the name of your state? CA
Been working at Home Depot as Lot Attendant since October 2020.
Here is my job description: Home Depot Lot Associate Job Description, Key Duties and Responsibilities – Job Description And Resume Examples
Under "
"Physically fit to lift 50 pounds".
(There was no "lifting test". During the job interview, nobody asked if I could lift 50 pounds (or any other amount). Furthermore, it is much harder to lift 50 pounds of concrete, than a 50 pound barbell.)
July 2021, Assistant Manager JS told me to get a doctor's note that I could not lift *over* fifty pounds, due to back pain.
I got the doctor's note and turned it into Human Resources. Later, Human Resources said that Corporate was fine with the work accommodation that I not lift over fifty pounds, and that if a customer wants me to lift something over fifty pounds, I was supposed to tell the Head Cashier.
June 2024, Human Resources called me into the office. She told me that, in order to keep working @ Home Depot, I had to get a physician to fill out a form that said what kind of work restrictions I needed. The form asked how long the work restrictions would last for. The physician wrote that the work restriction lasted for one year. I got the physician to fill out the form, and then faxed it to the specified address. Later, Assistant Manager JS arranged my work restrictions with me.
March 2025, Assistant Manager JS called me into the office and told me that, within three days, I would receive an email from (a certain company), about my work restrictions, because Home Depot is updating its computer system. JS told me that after I got the email, I was supposed to fill out a form (which JS gave me a copy of). (Attached, please find "working"). On the form, I was supposed to write about the fifty pound lifting limit. During the meeting, I pulled out a copy of the job description (cited in the second paragraph of this post). I pointed out that the Lot Attendants' job description said "lift 50 pounds". I asked, why I had to get a physician's note in the first place, since I have been lifting fifty pound merchandise throughout my entire time working at Home Depot. JS said that the building has 80# concrete bags, and when a customer wants me to lift them, (if I do not have a Physician's Note), Home Depot was supposed to give me a "write up" for being "unwilling" to lift 80 pounds of concrete (even though my job description only says "lift 50 pounds".) I then pointed out that Home Depot did *not* have a "lifting test" during the job interview, and the job interviewer did not even ask me if I could lift 80 pounds of concrete. I asked JS if I had to get a physician's signature on the form, and he said "you might or you might not". After over three days, I still had not gotten the email, so I asked Human Resources. She said that the company would email me later. One week later, I still had not gotten the email, so I asked Human Resources again. She said the company would email me later.
California is an "at will" employer.
Lawsuits take a lot of time, money and energy. The moral high road does not guarantee the outcome. The job description has been there many years, there are plenty of Home Depot stores, and plenty of Lot Attendants. If someone could have won a civil lawsuit against Home Depot, I think they already would have done so.
Short of hiring a lawyer, what are my options?
Thank you very much.
Been working at Home Depot as Lot Attendant since October 2020.
Here is my job description: Home Depot Lot Associate Job Description, Key Duties and Responsibilities – Job Description And Resume Examples
Under "
Home Depot Lot Associate Job Description Example/Sample/Template
", the fourth from the lowest one, it says"Physically fit to lift 50 pounds".
(There was no "lifting test". During the job interview, nobody asked if I could lift 50 pounds (or any other amount). Furthermore, it is much harder to lift 50 pounds of concrete, than a 50 pound barbell.)
July 2021, Assistant Manager JS told me to get a doctor's note that I could not lift *over* fifty pounds, due to back pain.
I got the doctor's note and turned it into Human Resources. Later, Human Resources said that Corporate was fine with the work accommodation that I not lift over fifty pounds, and that if a customer wants me to lift something over fifty pounds, I was supposed to tell the Head Cashier.
June 2024, Human Resources called me into the office. She told me that, in order to keep working @ Home Depot, I had to get a physician to fill out a form that said what kind of work restrictions I needed. The form asked how long the work restrictions would last for. The physician wrote that the work restriction lasted for one year. I got the physician to fill out the form, and then faxed it to the specified address. Later, Assistant Manager JS arranged my work restrictions with me.
March 2025, Assistant Manager JS called me into the office and told me that, within three days, I would receive an email from (a certain company), about my work restrictions, because Home Depot is updating its computer system. JS told me that after I got the email, I was supposed to fill out a form (which JS gave me a copy of). (Attached, please find "working"). On the form, I was supposed to write about the fifty pound lifting limit. During the meeting, I pulled out a copy of the job description (cited in the second paragraph of this post). I pointed out that the Lot Attendants' job description said "lift 50 pounds". I asked, why I had to get a physician's note in the first place, since I have been lifting fifty pound merchandise throughout my entire time working at Home Depot. JS said that the building has 80# concrete bags, and when a customer wants me to lift them, (if I do not have a Physician's Note), Home Depot was supposed to give me a "write up" for being "unwilling" to lift 80 pounds of concrete (even though my job description only says "lift 50 pounds".) I then pointed out that Home Depot did *not* have a "lifting test" during the job interview, and the job interviewer did not even ask me if I could lift 80 pounds of concrete. I asked JS if I had to get a physician's signature on the form, and he said "you might or you might not". After over three days, I still had not gotten the email, so I asked Human Resources. She said that the company would email me later. One week later, I still had not gotten the email, so I asked Human Resources again. She said the company would email me later.
California is an "at will" employer.
Lawsuits take a lot of time, money and energy. The moral high road does not guarantee the outcome. The job description has been there many years, there are plenty of Home Depot stores, and plenty of Lot Attendants. If someone could have won a civil lawsuit against Home Depot, I think they already would have done so.
Short of hiring a lawyer, what are my options?
Thank you very much.
