Fired Worker Alleges Discrimination Against Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn

A former employee has filed a complaint against the and Spa, alleging the hotel fired him from a post as a night steward after he was injured at work.

In May 2009, Eduardo Gonzales, a night steward at the hotel, injured his left shoulder in an on-the-job accident.

Gonzales, who has worked at the Mission Inn since 2008, filed a workers compensation claim, and was given the green light in a medical exam to return to his duties cleaning the hotel's food preparation spaces – with a reduced lifting load, according to court documents. In April 2011 the hotel terminated his employment,

A claim filed in California Superior Court in August alleges Gonzales suffered, not just a loss of wages, but "emotional distress" and a "loss of dignity" when he lost his job.

"He never took any time off of work, and never had any accommodation at work, but because of what happened in the workers compensation case his employer has seen him as more disabled than he is," said Laura Herron Weber, Gonzales attorney, who's offices are just up the road from the Inn.

A representative from the Mission Inn declined to comment.

In the declining economy, Weber says she's seen an increase in wrongful termination suits – not just of temporary or contract workers, but also long-term employees.

"It’s an even worse situation for the [long-term] employee; it’s very difficult to find work when you’ve done one thing for a long time," said Weber.