Michael Manuel is a hardworking Texan living with a vision impairment who was hired at Amazon in September 2023 through Social Security’s Ticket to Work program. He asked for reasonable accommodations so he could do his job safely; instead, the employer failed to provide them and later terminated him for “absenteeism”—a charge Michael believed was retaliation for requesting accommodations.
With his income gone and his future uncertain, Michael filed a charge with the EEOC. Months turned into nearly two years before the agency did something unusual: It set the case for mediation—a step many charges never reach. Securing a mediation was a victory in itself and a sign that Michael’s claims warranted a closer look.
Lone Star Legal Aid stepped in to stand beside him. His LSLA attorney, Channing Guidry, gathered and reviewed supporting documentation, prepared the case for the conference, and was ready to file suit if the mediation failed—making sure Michael’s perspective and the law were front and center.
At mediation, the parties reached a resolution: a settlement that brought immediate relief and affirmed Michael’s rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)—the federal law that prohibits disability-based discrimination in hiring, firing, training, and other employment practices. For Michael, it meant accountability and a measure of closure; for LSLA, it was another step toward a fairer workplace for Texans with disabilities.
Michael described the experience this way:
“Being in the situation I was in, having Legal Aid represent me was truly a blessing. Channing Guidry helped me with a SNAP issue when they were cutting back my benefits—she jumped on it right away, and it was handled quickly. I also told her what I was going through at work, and even though she didn’t have much time to prepare, she still took it on and was so successful. Even the EEOC mediator told her she was sharp for catching everything so fast.
Everything came together like pieces of a puzzle falling into place. I don’t think I would have gotten anything on my own because I didn’t have the knowledge. I needed a lawyer—and Legal Aid was a blessing.”
Michael’s story reflects LSLA’s commitment to standing with individuals navigating life-changing legal issues and making sure their rights and voices are protected.