A carpenter has settled a lawsuit he filed against a Signal Hill general contractor in which the plaintiff alleged he was wrongfully fired in 2023 for taking time off and requesting accommodations after being stabbed by a stranger.
An attorney for plaintiff Jonathan Castillo filed court papers Tuesday with Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Cherol Nellon informing her of the accord with Zieba Builders Inc., but no terms were divulged.
In their court papers, Zieba Builders attorneys denied any liability on the part of the company and cited multiple defenses, including that Castillo was offered reasonable accommodations and that any actions taken against the plaintiff were for legitimate, non-discriminatory reasons.
Castillo was hired as a carpenter last March and five months later, he was stabbed in the back by a complete stranger in Long Beach, according to the suit. He was rushed to a hospital, treated there and placed on medical leave until September, the suit states.
Castillo informed Zieba’s human resources department that he was stabbed and provided a doctor’s note supporting his need for a medical leave, the suit states. When Castillo asked to return with light duty in September, Zieba asked for more information from his doctor, the disability discrimination and retaliation suit filed Oct. 9 states.
When Castillo sent a second email asking the same question later that day, he allegedly was told to check his email account and the Zieba communication stated that he was fired as of Aug. 24 without giving any explanation.
The company’s owner later sent Castillo a text stating, “I am glad you are recovering from your injury; I never had a guy stabbed before. Business decisions are hard and I hope the best for you as you move forward,” the suit states.
Castillo sent a return text stating, “You do realize I was hospitalized and I was stabbed by someone on the street? You do realize the severity of my injuries right? This isn’t something I even wanted to have happen, but I do feel I was wrongfully terminated,” according to the suit.
Castillo believes he was fired because of his stabbing injury and his need for both a leave of absence and light-duty accommodations when he resumed working, the suit states.