In a dramatic legal confrontation, a former employee has taken a major financial institution to court over allegations of discrimination and wrongful termination. On February 27, 2026, Juan Fuenmayor filed a complaint in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia against Regions Bank (Inc.) (Alabama), claiming violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA).
Juan Fuenmayor, who began his tenure as a Senior Banker at Regions Bank’s Roswell, Georgia location on June 1, 2021, suffers from multiple disabilities including anxiety, diabetes, and sleep apnea. He asserts that these conditions were known to his employer. In October 2024, he took FMLA leave due to his health issues and returned in January 2025 to find new management in place. Fuenmayor requested flexible work hours to manage his health but was denied this accommodation after extensive documentation exchanges with the bank. Human Resources representative Hang Birmingham reportedly told him that unscheduled absences could not be accommodated without available FMLA time.
Despite having approval from Branch Manager Kalpana Berry for occasional early departures or late arrivals due to his condition, Fuenmayor faced disciplinary actions instigated by Consumer Banking Manager Jerry Banks. Banks allegedly misrepresented Fuenmayor’s situation when reporting him for leaving early or arriving late. Furthermore, although using his phone was necessary for monitoring his diabetes—a fact acknowledged by Berry—Fuenmayor received write-ups for phone usage.
The situation escalated when Fuenmayor reported these incidents as discriminatory under the ADA to Human Resources and higher management figures like Regional Manager Mia Hubbard and Clara Green, Head of Disability and Inclusion. His complaints included accusations of being singled out regarding phone usage policies compared to other employees.
In late October 2025, anticipating eligibility for further FMLA leave due to ongoing health issues, Fuenmayor applied for it again. However, on November 3, 2025—just days before this leave was set to commence—he was terminated by Human Resources and Berry for alleged misuse of his phone at work.
Fuenmayor contends that his termination was pretextual and retaliatory in nature—a direct response to his requests for accommodations and complaints about discrimination. He argues that Regions Bank violated both the ADA by discriminating against him based on disability and the FMLA by interfering with his rights under this act.
Seeking justice through the court system, Fuenmayor demands various forms of relief: compensatory damages for lost wages and emotional distress; punitive damages due to what he describes as malicious conduct by Regions Bank; reinstatement or front pay; attorney’s fees; declaratory relief affirming the violation of statutory rights; injunctive relief prohibiting further unlawful conduct; among others.
Representing Juan Fuenmayor are attorneys V. Severin Roberts and Patrick Reid from The Workers’ Firm based in Atlanta. The case is being presided over under Case ID: 1:26-cv-01142-VMC-JEM.
Source: 126cv01142_Juan_Fuenmayor_v_Regions_Bank_Complaint_Southern_District_of_New_York.pdf
