A former GW Law employee sued the University last week, alleging that officials fired her in February for reasons related to her disability.
The lawsuit, filed in the D.C. Superior Court on July 23, states that GW claimed to fire Emerald Chauncey — a former program associate in the law school’s career center — for performance issues, but argues she did not have any “significant” issues that warranted termination and was instead fired for “disability-related protected activity.” GW fired Chauncey on Feb. 27, the same day she received a message from the University stating that a determination on her disability accommodations case could not be made at that time, according to the lawsuit.
Chauncey has an overactive bladder, a condition she has had for most of her life, and received accommodations for her condition from GW last November, according to the lawsuit. The accommodation allowed her unlimited bathroom breaks without having to inform a supervisor, per the filing. Despite the accommodation, the lawsuit alleges that Chauncey was “humiliated” for her condition by her supervisor, Suzanne Hard, the associate dean for professional development and career strategy at the law school.
Hard monitored Chauncey’s bathroom breaks, kept a bathroom tracker for her and treated Chauncey with “cruelty” and “hostility” because of her disability, the lawsuit claims. GW hired Hard as associate dean in January 2024 and she became Chauncey’s direct report in July 2024, according to the lawsuit.
