Eric Smith has filed a lawsuit against his former employer, Aspen Products, Inc., accusing the company of violating his rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The complaint was lodged in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia on December 1, 2025. Smith claims that Aspen Products failed to provide a reasonable accommodation for his disability by denying him additional leave following back surgery and subsequently terminating his employment.
According to the court documents, Eric Smith had been employed by Aspen Products for over two years as a janitor when he developed a serious back condition due to compression in his lumbar spine. This condition severely limited his ability to perform everyday activities such as walking and lifting. In March 2025, Smith took medical leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) to undergo necessary spinal surgery. As his FMLA leave neared its end, Smith requested an extension until June 10, 2025, when he expected to be cleared by his doctor to return to work. However, Aspen Products denied this request and terminated Smith’s employment on May 1, 2025—the day his FMLA leave expired—citing that he had quit.
Smith contends that Aspen Products’ actions were discriminatory and violated ADA provisions requiring employers to provide reasonable accommodations for employees with disabilities. “Had Defendant Aspen Products reasonably accommodated Plaintiff Smith by modifying its leave policy,” states the complaint, “Plaintiff Smith would have been able to perform the essential functions of his job.” The lawsuit accuses Aspen Products of failing to engage in an interactive process regarding accommodations and asserts that granting additional leave would not have imposed an undue hardship on the company.
In seeking redress from the court, Eric Smith is asking for several forms of relief. He seeks lost wages and benefits due to wrongful termination and requests either reinstatement or compensation for future salary losses if reinstatement is not feasible. Additionally, Smith is pursuing compensatory damages for emotional distress and punitive damages aimed at punishing Aspen Products for its alleged misconduct. He also requests coverage of attorney fees and litigation costs.
Representing Eric Smith in this case is attorney Julie Burke from Hill, Kertscher & Wharton LLP based in Atlanta, Georgia. The case is presided over by Judge C. Ashley Royal under Case ID 5:26-cv-00046-CAR.
Source: 526cv00046_Eric_Smith_v_Aspen_Products_Complaint_Northern_District_of_Georgia.pdf
