6-foot-2, 163kg New York library employee sues for $4.6 million over 'cramped desk'

The employee has accused his superiors of harassment and discrimination. (Representational)

A 6-foot-2, 163-kg employee of the New York Public Library (NYPL) is demanding $4.6 million (Rs 38.82 crore) in damages, alleging that being forced to work at a desk too small for his stature has caused him severe trauma.

William Martin, a library information assistant at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library, has accused his superiors of harassment and discrimination, claiming the ordeal has left him battling anxiety and depression.

Martin’s troubles began in October 2021 when he was assigned to the first-floor service desk at the Fifth Avenue library in Midtown Manhattan. The desk, with its staggered countertop and a 30-cm drop, was "crampy" and unsuitable for someone of his physical build, he argued in a legal filing submitted to the Brooklyn Federal Court.

“All I sought was just a service desk with the appropriate accommodation given my physical attributes,” Martin stated in the lawsuit, alleging his requests for reasonable accommodations were met with resistance, New York Post reported.

While Martin’s union initially intervened, arranging for him to work at other service desks, tensions reignited in June 2023. A new assistant director allegedly insisted he return to the cramped first-floor desk. According to court documents, Martin claimed the director increased the frequency of these assignments as a way to intimidate and "show him ‘who is the boss.’”

Matters escalated further when Martin was accused of sleeping on the job and subsequently suspended. He described these accusations as false and retaliatory, leading him to request a transfer and medical leave.

In his lawsuit, Martin revealed that the experience has taken a heavy toll on his mental health, claiming he trembles at the thought of returning to work.

A spokesperson for the New York Public Library dismissed the lawsuit as “without merit”. “We take employee accommodations and concerns with utmost seriousness, and are dedicated to treating our staff across the Library with fairness and respect,” the spokesperson said.