Disney employee fired after panic attack during labor talks, a pill found, lawsuit says

A Disney labor relations manager who suffered a three-hour panic attack during a negotiation session and was eventually fired is now suing Disney.

Keivin Kilgore accused his former employer of discrimination because he is a Black man and was diagnosed with extreme anxiety disorder, according to his federal lawsuit.

The lawsuit claims Disney violated the Civil Rights Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act by firing him in August 2023. Disney and Kilgore’s attorney, Edward Wimp, did not immediately respond for comment for this story.

Kilgore lost a lucrative job that paid $129,000 a year and had other benefits, including a 7% target bonus, 401(k) match, $800 HSA contribution, 3% Disney retirement plan contribution, and education reimbursement, the lawsuit said.

According to the lawsuit, Kilgore saw a psychiatrist in November 2022 because of stress in his personal and professional life. He was diagnosed with extreme anxiety disorder and “prescribed medication for focus and to regulate potential exacerbations of his condition” that he took while employed at Disney.

His health problems appeared to escalate when Kilgore had a panic attack in April 2023.

“The event happened during a negotiation session, where several other witnesses were present,” the lawsuit said. “As a result, the session had to be postponed to a later date.”

The lawsuit said Kilgore disclosed his health issues with his manager and a few months later, his job duties changed.

Kilgore had been involved in negotiating with several Disney unions, including SPFPA, which represents security guards, and other unions for gardeners, electricians, machinists and other workers.

The lawsuit said Kilgore also talked to human resources about other jobs in the company and worried about a lack of promotion opportunities, specifically for Black and Haitian Americans..

The end of Kilgore’s employment came after an Aug. 2, 2023, meeting where Kilgore was confronted about “a plastic bag with a large SPFPA pen and a blue pill in a pen cap” that had been found by the last employee Kilgore met with, the lawsuit said.

It was Kilgore’s anxiety medication, according to this lawsuit.

After that, Kilgore was suspended while Disney investigated him. The company fired him a few weeks later.

“Defendant does not have a legitimate, non-discriminatory reason for discharging the Plaintiff,” he argued in the complaint.