A former Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Cast Member has filed a lawsuit alleging she was fired for taking medical leave that had already been approved by the company.

The Lawsuit

According to a Human Resources Director report, a custodial Cast Member filed a lawsuit against Walt Disney Parks and Resorts U.S., Inc. in the Middle District of Florida on September 25, 2026. The complaint brings six claims under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and Florida's Civil Rights Act.

What the Filing Alleges

The Cast Member was employed as a back-of-house utilities custodial worker beginning in May 2023. In May 2024 — five months ahead of her scheduled procedure — she submitted paperwork requesting medical leave for gender-affirming surgery. The complaint alleges that Disney did not notify her of her FMLA rights until October 2024, past the five-day window the statute requires.

She was later approved for short-term disability through February 9, 2025, underwent two surgical procedures during that period, and returned to work as soon as her leave ended.

In May 2025, the Cast Member experienced a flare-up of anemia and complex post-traumatic stress disorder and requested intermittent FMLA leave along with a reasonable accommodation for those conditions. Her intermittent leave was approved on May 31, 2025, according to the filing.

Attendance Points and Termination

By mid-June 2025, the Cast Member noticed she had been accumulating attendance