Woman Sues Atlantic Auto Mall Claiming Wrongful Termination

A former Atlantic Auto Mall employee has filed a wrongful termination lawsuit claiming that she lost her job after donating a kidney to help her supervisor move up on a national organ donor list.

Newsday reported that Deborah Stevens, 48, of Hicksville, claimed in U.S. District Court in Central Islip that Jacqueline Brucia, her former boss at the West Islip car dealership, asked her to donate a kidney to the National Kidney Registry, which would allow Brucia to get a kidney in return.

Stevens claimed in the lawsuit that during her recovery from surgery, Brucia reprimanded her for frequent restroom use and when she would leave work early because she was sick.

In October, New York’s Division of Human Rights found there was “probable cause” that the employers of Stevens practiced discrimination in firing her from an administrative assistant position.

Following initial reports in 2012, Atlantic Auto Group issued a statement saying, "It is unfortunate that one employee has used her own generous act to make up a groundless claim. Atlantic Auto treated her appropriately and acted honorably and fairly, at every turn. We expect to have this resolved favorably in the legal system if any claim is filed."

Rick Ostrove, an attorney for Stevens, told Newsday that the Division of Human Rights granted a request that the state action be dismissed so she could file the lawsuit, rather than continue before a state hearing officer.