A former retail worker is alleging that her employer failed to accommodate her disability and wrongfully terminated her while she was still on approved medical leave, raising questions about workplace rights for employees with disabilities. The complaint was filed by Tiffany Ball in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio on April 23, 2026, naming Walmart Associates, Inc. as the defendant.
According to the court filing, Ball began working for Walmart as a Personal Shopper in or about August 2024. On December 26, 2024, she suffered a debilitating injury after falling down a flight of stairs, which aggravated a previously diagnosed knee condition known as chondromalacia patella. Her medical providers subsequently issued permanent restrictions limiting standing for long periods, stooping, and heavy lifting due to serious mobility impairments.
The complaint states that Ball reported her injury and need for leave to both Jeff from Walmart’s Human Resources Department and Rob, her department coach. She was instructed to contact Sedgwick, Walmart’s third-party leave administrator. After submitting medical documentation in late December 2024 or early January 2025, Sedgwick approved Ball for medical leave extending into August 2025.
Throughout early 2025, Ball did not receive clearance from either her doctors or Sedgwick to return to work. In January 2025, she requested reasonable accommodations through Sedgwick so she could return sooner or be reassigned within the company. The filing alleges that “Walmart did not engage Ball in an interactive process regarding reassignment or other accommodations” but instead continued her leave without providing any accommodation consistent with her restrictions.
On April 28, 2025, Rob asked when Ball would return to work; Ball replied that she had not been released by her doctor and was following Sedgwick’s instructions regarding communication about her leave status. Despite this ongoing approved leave—confirmed by an April 24 email from Sedgwick stating it extended until August 22—Rob left voicemails on May 3 and May 18 warning that Ball would be considered a no-call/no-show if she did not report the next day.
The complaint asserts that on May 19, 2025, Rob terminated Ball’s employment while she remained on approved medical leave through Sedgwick. It further alleges that “from January 2025 through May 19, 2025,” Walmart failed to provide reasonable accommodation or engage in good-faith discussions about modified duties or reassignment options for Ball’s disability-related needs.
Ball claims that Walmart violated its own progressive disciplinary policy by terminating her without first issuing verbal or written warnings: “Ball did not receive a verbal warning before the Termination” and “Ball did not receive a written warning before the Termination.” The filing also states that “Walmart knowingly skipped progressive disciplinary steps in terminating Ball’s employment” and “intentionally took an adverse employment action against Ball,” causing economic harm.
In addition to allegations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the lawsuit includes claims under Ohio Revised Code Section 4112.02 for disability discrimination and failure to accommodate; workers’ compensation retaliation under R.C. §4123.90; and wrongful termination in violation of public policy as recognized by Ohio courts.
Specifically regarding accommodation requests, the complaint alleges: “Walmart has no contemporaneously created documents reflecting any effort to determine whether Ball’s Accommodation Request would cause an undue hardship.” It also claims that Walmart neither engaged in alternative conversations nor offered alternative accommodations before denying these requests.
As relief from the court, Ball seeks compensatory damages exceeding $25,000 per claim for physical injury, lost wages, emotional distress, punitive damages exceeding $25,000 against Walmart Associates Inc., attorneys’ fees and costs of action. She also requests a permanent injunction requiring changes at Walmart including abolishing discrimination practices; allocating funding for compliance measures; removing supervisors who have engaged in discriminatory conduct; creating prompt investigation processes; and mandatory training on discrimination issues.
The attorneys representing Tiffany Ball are Trisha Breedlove (0095852) and Mark August (0105586) of Spitz, The Employee’s Law Firm based in Columbus. The case is identified as Case No. 2:26-cv-00498-EAS-CMV.
Source: 226cv00498_Ball_v_Walmart_Associates_Inc_Complaint_Souther_District_Ohio.pdf
