163 Kg Employee Files Rs 38 Crore Lawsuit Against Company, Cites Small Desk Issue

A New York Public Library staff member, weighing 163 kg, has filed a $4.6 million lawsuit, alleging that working at an undersized desk caused him physical and emotional distress. William Martin, a 6-foot-2 library information assistant, stated that the desk at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library on Fifth Avenue was unsuitable for his build.

In a lawsuit filed in Brooklyn Federal Court, he described the first-floor service desk as “crampy” due to its swaying countertop with a 12-inch drop. “All I sought was just a service desk with the appropriate accommodation given my physical attributes,” Mr Martin said in his legal filing, as per the NY Post.

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Union Intervention Failed to Resolve Desk Issues

Mr Martin’s issues began in October 2021 when he was assigned to the desk in question. After raising concerns, his union intervened and arranged his reassignment to other desks. However, in June 2023, a new assistant director reportedly reassigned him to the same problematic desk.

The lawsuit claims this decision was “detrimental to his health and safety” and alleges that the director increased Mr Martin’s desk assignments to intimidate him.

Martin also faced accusations of sleeping on the job, which he denied, labeling them as “false.” Following these claims, he was suspended and subsequently requested a transfer and medical leave due to anxiety and depression.

According to the lawsuit, the ordeal has severely impacted Martin’s mental health, leaving him unable to function in his role. He reportedly experiences anxiety and trembles at the thought of returning to work.

Martin, who once ran a blog called “300lbsofsportsknowledge,” is now asking the court to approve his leave request and grant monetary compensation.

A spokesperson for the New York Public Library has dismissed the lawsuit as “without merit,” stating, “We are committed to addressing employee accommodations and concerns with utmost seriousness and fairness.”

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