William Martin, a 6-foot-2, 360-pound New York Public Library employee claims he has been “traumatized” by being forced to work at a desk too small for his size.
Martin, who was assigned to the first-floor service desk at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library in Midtown in October 2021, is now seeking $4.6 million in compensation for his distress.
The New York Public Library information assistant filed the lawsuit in Brooklyn Federal Court, complaining about what he said were “crampy” conditions at the welcome desk where he works.
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The desk allegedly features a staggered countertop with a roughly 12-inch drop, which he claims has caused him immense discomfort, as reported by the New York Post.
“All I sought was just a service desk with the appropriate accommodation given my physical attributes,” he said in the legal filing accusing his superiors of discrimination and harassment.
After his union intervened, Martin was reassigned to different service desks within the New York Public Library. However, nearly two years later, in June 2023, a new assistant director allegedly ordered him back to the cramped first-floor desk, reigniting his complaints, according to court documents.
Martin’s situation worsened after he complained and involved a lawyer. According to his lawsuit, the assistant director increased his assignments to the small desk, harming his health and safety.
He alleges this was an attempt to bully and intimidate him. Subsequently, he was falsely accused of sleeping on the job and suspended, leading him to request a transfer and seek medical leave for anxiety and depression, his lawsuit states.
Martin, who once ran a sports blog called “300lbsofsportsknowledge,” claims his “mental health has been damaged to such extent that . . . he would tremble just at the thought of going back to work,” he said in the lawsuit.
Martin is requesting a judge to mandate the New York Public Library to approve his medical leave and is also seeking substantial financial compensation.
The case is “without merit,” a spokesperson for the New York Public Library said, adding, “We take employee accommodations and concerns with utmost seriousness, and are dedicated to treating our staff across the Library with fairness and respect.”
