Summit Security Services Discrimination Against Afrika Bambaataa Accuser

Hip Hop Movement - The New York Daily News published a story in mid-2016 about former music industry executive and Democratic Party activist Ronald Savage, who claims Bambaataa abused him at least five times in 1980, inflicting deep emotional wounds has reported a charge of disabilities discrimination to the EEOC.

Hip Hop's own Ronald Savage and former New York State Democratic Committee Member and world hero who has helped to fight for change to the statute of limitations laws in New York State against child molesters has informed the Hip Hop Movement that his employer to his side job as a security officer with Summit Security Services in New York City has allegedly discriminated against his disabilities Tourette Syndrome and Epilepsy. According to records filed with the United States Equal Opportunity Employment Commission posted on www.ronaldsavage.com Ronald was suspended without pay on or about July 27, 2015, after a Summit supervisor made fun of his disability and accommodation request in front of several other guards and clients, and, when he complained of the discrimination the supervisor reassigned him to a post that exacerbated his Tourette Syndrome and epilepsy. He was refused request to be moved to a post that did not trigger his condition, Savage states after many weeks one day he had a big attack after summit refused to move him on many requested attempts, after this attack he was taken out of the site and had to get a doctors note to return back to work which the doctor's letter stated Mr. Savage can return back to work, Summitt after the doctor letter kept him out of work for approx six months.

Six months later Savage was put at a new site which he worked at approx one year, On September 28, 2016 Mr. Savage had a
5-second anxiety attack and finished the work day with nothing more happening, he stated that he was speaking to another officer and to him she started to get far away as she was telling him how to work the new post, Mr. Savage said he was worried if he didn't do a good job was Summit going to remove him or if he had an attack was Summit going to have him out of work again for six months. He stated that he felt them keeping him out of work that long was a tacit to get him to quit. Summit once again took Savage out of his site after his five-second episode and has refused to put him back to work after three doctors state

he can go back to work and that he was fine and stable and can do the job as a security officer. “Individuals with disabilities are entitled to reasonable accommodations based on their disabilities in the workplace. Failure to provide such an accommodation is unacceptable and against the law,“ said Council Member Palma. “Mr. Savage´s request for an accommodation was handled unprofessionally by his immediate supervisor, who even ridiculed him for having a disability. I am committed to advocating for Mr. Savage, and the rights of individuals with disabilities, no one should have to experience such retaliation for requesting an accommodation. It is my hope that employers receive training on how to properly process accommodation requests,

which may prevent this from happening to someone else.“

“I felt like an animal trapped in a cage on the 5th floor at the New York State Office of Temporary Disability Assistance (OTDA), when I discussed my medical conditions and how I was treated at my job,“ said Ronald Savage. “Only when I suffered a big attack did the supervisor at Summit Security for OTDA move me back after a month of suffering, to the floor that didn't trigger my condition. Summit Security then attempted to cover up the whole ordeal two days later, by saying I was ´off post´ when the supervisors are the ones who sent me to recover from my attack. They removed me from my original site using a fake excuse.

I felt the truth must come out to save other people with disabilities from being attacked like I was at OTDA. Here we are 25 years later and employers are still discriminating against the Americans with Disabilities Act.“

“The law requires employers to make reasonable accommodations because people with disabilities, like Mr. Savage, have the right to earn their living at work,“ said Maia Goodell at MFY Legal Services. He has filed a Charge of Discrimination with the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) alleging that Summit Security and OTDA not only did not do that, they actually backed a supervisor who made fun of his disability and drove him out because of the accommodation request. He has worked in professional

security since 1996 and deserves to keep working in his profession.“It is simply unconscionable for any organization or entity to discriminate against an employee who lives with a disability. Disabled citizens should be treated with the same respect as any other member of society, said Assembly member Luis Sepulveda. Unfortunately, Mr. Savage, a hard-working father and active community member, has not been afforded that equal treatment. Summit Security Services´ apathetic and neglectful conduct is not representative to the values of this city. Going forward, I support Mr. Savage wholeheartedly in this endeavor and I believe once the facts have been reviewed, justice will prevail.“ “32BJ stands with Ronald Savage in his fight for justice, said Erin T. Reilly. The union has filed a grievance against Summit over Mr. Savage´s removal and we are also following closely the EEOC investigation into his firing. We support Ronald Savage and all workers with disabilities who fight against discrimination. All workers must be treated fairly and given reasonable accommodation to ensure they can do their jobs while maintaining their own health and safety.“ “ Savage states this is fully discrimination when three different doctors state you can go back to work and Summit can't face this and want to keep harassing the doctors for more information and not putting me back to work to try to find a smoking gun so they would not have to put me back to work or which will help them try to win this law suit, but all it does is say why are these clients keeping this company around that has issues with people with disabilities that can do the job fully just like anyone else without disabilities. New York City and State need to look at this when the contracts run out when looking for security companies making sure they have not broken EEOC laws, I'm still not back to work and three doctors have stated i can go back to work which summit has all three letters this is an outrage . I have been doing security for 20 years with my disabilities and held a supervisor title as Lieutenant for 10 years and Captain for three years with prior respected security companies. As a former member of the New York State Democratic Committee, I stand by my 15 years in public office to say this is discrimination".Savage states the Hip Hop Movement will not look away and will bring awareness to this matter. Summit did not return our calls.