You showed up. You did your job, you managed your health the best you could, and when you needed a small change to keep doing that job, you asked for it. That should have been the end of the story.
Instead, something else happened. The tone from your manager changed. Opportunities dried up. Then came the demotion, the write-up, or the termination, packaged with a reason that did not quite add up. You have been turning it over in your mind ever since, asking yourself whether what happened was actually legal.
Maryland law protects employees in exactly your situation, and at Smithey Law Group LLC, our Baltimore employment discrimination lawyer will fight to make sure that protection means something.
What Do Disability Discrimination Laws Actually Cover?
Disability discrimination in the workplace is common, but Maryland employees have strong legal protections. The federal Americans with Disabilities Act and Maryland Commission on Civil Rights prohibit employers from penalizing or terminating employees because of health conditions and require reasonable accommodations for qualified workers.
When they fail to do so, you can seek accountability through legal action. Read on to learn more about the actions you can take now that can help put you in the best position to win a disability discrimination case.
Step 1: Confirm That Your Situation Qualifies
Not every health condition is covered by disability discrimination protections, so the first step is making sure yours meets the legal standard.
State and federal anti-discrimination law define disability as a mental or physical condition that substantially limits a major life activity, such as concentrating, sleeping, walking, or working. Conditions that commonly qualify include depression, anxiety, PTSD, diabetes, cancer, and chronic back pain.
If you experience these kinds of limitations but can still perform the essential functions of a job with or without a reasonable accommodation, the law prohibits your employer from discriminating against you because of your condition. You are also protected if your employer treated you as though you had a disability, even if you do not consider yourself disabled.
Step 2: Identify Exactly What Your Employer Did
Disability discrimination is not always a firing. It shows up in quieter, difficult-to-name ways, too.
Here are some of the most common forms of workplace disability discrimination:
- Wrongful termination. Your employer let you go after learning about your condition, and although they say it’s not because of your disability, the reason they gave does not hold up when you look at the timing or the facts.
- Denial of reasonable accommodation. You requested adjustments such as altered hours, a different workstation, remote work, or extra leave, but your employer ignored, delayed, or refused them without a valid reason.
- Demotion or reduced responsibilities. Your role, title, or pay deteriorated after your condition became known.
- Hostile work environment. Comments, exclusion, or treatment from supervisors or coworkers tied to your disability made it genuinely difficult to do your job.
Each of these is a distinct legal claim, and identifying which situation applies to your experience is key to building your case on the strongest possible foundation.
Step 3: Start Gathering Your Evidence Now
Evidence turns your experience into a provable case. Employers rarely document the real reason behind a discriminatory decision, so your job is to build the picture from everything surrounding it.
Here is what to collect immediately:
- Medical records—documentation from your doctor establishing your diagnosis and what accommodations your condition requires;
- Workplace communications—emails, texts, performance reviews, write-ups, and termination letters that connect the adverse treatment to your disability or accommodation request;
- Your accommodation request and the response to it—every request you made and every reply, including silence or indefinite delay, which the law treats as a denial; and
- Witnesses—names of colleagues who observed the treatment or heard relevant comments from management.
The picture that emerges from this evidence is often the difference between a case that settles favorably and one that an employer successfully buries.
Step 4: File Your Complaint Before the Deadline
In Maryland, you have 300 days from the date of the discriminatory act to file a complaint with the Maryland Commission on Civil Rights. For harassment-based claims, you have two years.
Once you file, the agency investigates, and your employer must respond. You can also file with the federal EEOC, and the agencies coordinate to protect your rights under both. Missing deadlines closes the door permanently, so don’t wait too long to exercise your rights.
Step 5: Know What a Win Can Look Like
A successful claim can result in getting your job back, recovering lost wages, receiving compensation for the emotional toll the discrimination took, and having your attorney fees covered. In cases where an employer acted with deliberate disregard for your rights, additional damages may be available. Understanding what you can recover helps you evaluate your options clearly and avoid accepting a settlement that falls short of what you are owed.
Does Hiring an Attorney Actually Make a Difference?
Your employer’s HR team began defending itself as soon as the issue arose. You deserve the same level of professional legal support.
An experienced employment attorney identifies the strongest case theories, preserves evidence, meets deadlines, and negotiates from a position of knowledge. When we cannot reach a fair resolution with your employer, we escalate the case. The difference in recoveries with skilled representation versus none is significant.
Why Smithey Law Group LLC Is the Right Choice to Win Your Disability Discrimination Case
When your employer has resources, legal counsel, and a head start, you need a firm that brings something real to the fight.
Smithey Law Group LLC has earned recognition from Best Lawyers in both 2025 and 2026, a Tier 1 ranking in Litigation for Labor and Employment among Best Law Firms for 2025, and Law Dragon named us among the 500 Leading Civil Rights and Plaintiff Employment Lawyers in both 2024 and 2025. These distinctions speak directly to the kind of work your case demands.
Smithey Law Group is a firm that Maryland employees trust when the stakes are real and the outcome matters. Request a consultation to find out what your case is worth and what we can do for you.
Do Not Let the Clock Run out on Your Rights
What happened to you was not something you should tolerate and move on from. Maryland provides a legal path forward after workplace discrimination, but it has a hard deadline. Don’t wait to take back your control. Contact Smithey Law Group LLC today and take the first step toward holding your employer accountable.
Legal References Used to Inform This Page:
To ensure the accuracy and clarity of this page, we referenced official legal and other resources during the content development process:
- The ADA: Your Employment Rights as an Individual With a Disability, Are You Protected by The ADA, U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
- Enforcement Guidance on Reasonable Accommodation and Undue Hardship under the ADA, U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
- Start a Complaint Inquiry, Maryland Commission on Civil Rights
- The ADA: Your Responsibilities as an Employer, How Will the ADA Be Enforced and What Are the Available Remedies, U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
