Ex-Georgia State Employee Says College Fired Her For Working Slow Due to Cancer Treatments

Cindy Hawthorne says her rights were violated after the University fired her over her cancer treatment.

A former Georgia State University employee has sued the school over claims she was fired for slow work due to her cancer treatments.

Just three weeks after Cindy Hawthorne began her duties at Georgia State as a civil rights compliance investigator, her doctor gave her the heartbreaking news of a cancer diagnosis. She immediately told her supervisors at the college, who expressed initial support for her treatment program.

They authorized special accommodations for her to work from home and gave her deadline extensions as she entered chemotherapy. In reciprocating this good faith, she told WSB-TV that she even postponed surgery to stay on top of her work responsibilities.

However, things took a turn as she suffered complications from her chemotherapy and radiation treatments. While trying to juggle work and her fluctuating health, Hawthorne asked for another extension. Her management’s response took a different approach than before.

Instead of showing empathy for her plight, her directors at GSU allegedly implemented a 90-day performance improvement plan. Alongside a new hire to the team, Hawthorne began to feel pushed out of her position.

As a civil rights investigator, she oversaw that the school upheld students’ and staff’s rights. She held the job for less than a year, being terminated in October.

“I was just thrown away and lied to, to make it feel like it was my fault,” said Hawthorne.

Now, she is seeking retribution for what she feels was a wrongful firing. She has filed a complaint with the EEOC, hoping to get justice for her ordeal.

Her lawyer, Artur Davis, emphasized that Hawthorne made extra accommodations to prove her dedication to the job. After being pushed to the wayside, she now seeks a legal claim to validate her feelings.

“This is a woman who delayed having surgery because she wanted to make sure the work got done in her organization,” explained Davis. That’s someone that’s more than pulling her weight.”