One veteran returned home after serving as a Marine for 10 years of his life and earning a purple heart in the process. After getting a new job, the veteran‘s supervisor noticed what he had brought with him to work one day and told him to go home. Now, after the company has threatened to fire him, many people are calling for a boycott.
Yauncey Long is an Iraq and Afghanistan veteran who served in counterintelligence for the Marine Corps, earning a Purple Heart after being wounded in combat. After returning home suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Long discovered that the best way to cope with his condition was through the assistance of a service dog, C4.
Despite applying for reasonable accommodations, Long was told by his employer – Midwest telecom company Cincinnati Bell – to go home when he showed up for work with his service canine. What followed were multiple unsatisfactory responses from management about allowing C4 into the workplace, leading to pushback and threats of termination if he continued to bring the dog with him.
When Fox News reached out to Cincinnati Bell for comment on this situation, they alleged that they had not received any information regarding Long’s condition or its effect on his job performance. However, Long claims that simply isn’t true; he has filed all necessary documentation proving his PTSD and need for C4 but has been met with stonewalling due to their lack of knowledge on how to process such an application.
Regardless, even after writing a letter directly to CEO Leigh Fox explaining the problem at hand, nothing changed and he was once again directed towards Human Resources – which had already failed him numerous times prior.
This situation raises two key questions: Is it necessary for businesses to allow service animals? And should Cincinnati Bell be boycotted over their treatment of Yauncey Long?
