Corrections officer sues prison over termination

Crawford released from job following workplace injury

A longtime corrections officer of the Blair County Prison, who was terminated from his job following a workplace injury that occurred in 2019, has filed a civil rights lawsuit against his former employer.

Brian Crawford, 55, contends prison officials violated several federal and state laws when they decided in 2021 they could no longer provide accommodations for him following an injury to the rotator cuff in his left shoulder.

In the lawsuit filed last week in the U.S. District Court in Johnstown, Crawford reported that he suffered a severe injury to his rotator cuff on Jan. 23, 2019, while breaking up a fight among inmates.

He stated that he had three surgeries in 2019 and 2020 to repair the shoulder and was able to return to duty on Dec. 1, 2020.

His physician recommended he be placed on light duty, which in his case meant he had to refrain from contact with the inmates and had to avoid heavy lifting.

The prison, he stated, was able to accommodate him by assigning him to a controlled area of the facility.

He maintained that, as a sergeant, he was able to perform all the duties assigned to him.

But on Sept. 15, 2021, after just completing his 30th year on the job, he was called to a meeting with a representative of the County's Human Resource Department. He was told to be accompanied by a union representative.

During the meeting, Crawford was informed he was being released from worker's compensation and that the prison could no longer accommodate him.

He was offered a lower-paying job in the courthouse, but would not be a member of the union.

Crawford stated in his lawsuit he did not reject the idea of taking the courthouse job.

But the day after the meeting, he said he worked a double shift "to show his dedication to and ability to work (for the prison) as a sergeant."

However, on Sept. 17, 2021, he was terminated from his county employment.

In his lawsuit filed by Pittsburgh attorney John E. Black III, it is argued that his termination violated the federal Americans With Disabilities Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act and the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

His lawsuit also was filed with the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission.

Crawford's proposed legal action was reviewed by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which issued a Right-to-Sue notice on Feb. 6 of this year.

He is asking for lost wages, which includes reduced pension benefits, compensatory and punitive damages and reinstatement to his prison job.

He contends also that the action against him was in retaliation for his request for workplace accommodations under the Americans With Disabilities Act.

District Judge Stephanie L. Haines will preside over the case.

David Kessling, chairman of the Blair County Prison Board, stated he could not comment on pending litigation.