Shiloh Elementary School District to Pay $92K to Resolve Alleged Age and Disability Discrimination

SACRAMENTO – The California Civil Rights Department (CRD) today announced a settlement with the Shiloh Elementary School District in Stanislaus County to resolve allegations that a district employee was unlawfully subjected to discrimination, harassment, and retaliation. As part of the settlement, the school district will pay $92,000 in compensation and provide training on state civil rights protections in the workplace.

“It’s against the law to fire someone because of their age or a disability,” said CRD Director Kevin Kish. “Employers have a duty to engage with workers with disabilities to explore reasonable ways to help keep them on the job. When employers fail to do their part, there can be serious consequences. This settlement will help the school district protect the rights of current and future workers.”

Let Go or Pushed Out?

In 2025, CRD received a complaint against the Shiloh Elementary School District from an employee who alleged that they were fired because of their age and for requesting an accommodation at work due to a disability. The complainant alleged that after they requested the accommodation, the district fired them using disputed concerns around performance as an excuse. The employee further alleged in their complaint that — despite submitting medical documentation to support their request for changes to their job duties, including limitations on how much weight they could lift — they were still told to lift heavy objects anyway. The worker also said that they were repeatedly subjected to harassing comments by leadership, such as, “Maybe it’s time for you to retire or look for a different line of work.”

Voluntary Remedy

After conducting an initial investigation, CRD provided the school district with an opportunity to resolve the allegations through mediation. As a result of the settlement, the district, without admitting wrongdoing, will:

• Provide training to senior staff on reasonable accommodations and protections against harassment in the workplace.
• Conduct a comprehensive review of the school district’s accommodation policies and update them as necessary to ensure alignment with state law.
• If changes are made, distribute revised policies to all employees.
• Report on compliance with the settlement to the state within 70 days.
• Pay $92,000 in compensation to cover alleged harms and legal fees.

If you or someone you know has experienced employment discrimination, CRD may be able to assist you through its complaint process. The department also provides general information and factsheets online about civil rights protections for members of the public, including with respect to age discrimination and disability accommodations.

The settlement announced today was mediated by Attorney Mediator Shira Harris.

You can learn more by reading the settlement.

The California Civil Rights Department (CRD) is the state agency charged with enforcing California’s civil rights laws. CRD’s mission is to protect the people of California from unlawful discrimination in employment, housing, public accommodations, and state-funded programs and activities, and from hate violence and human trafficking. For more information, visit calcivilrights.ca.gov.

View Press Release (PDF) Shiloh Elementary School District to Pay $92K to Resolve Alleged Age and Disability Discrimination