Clark Kauffman, Iowa Capital Dispatch
4/9/25
A physician is suing the University of Iowa and Board of Regents, claiming disability discrimination and retaliation.
In his lawsuit, Dr. Parijat Joy says he began his affiliation with the university in 2018 as part of the school’s cardiovascular disease fellowship, after which he trained for several years as an associate physician at University of Iowa Hospitals, then was promoted to assistant clinical professor in the Department of Internal Medicine.
According to the lawsuit, Joy’s child was diagnosed in March 2019 with a neurocognitive disability that required intensive medical care out of state. Joy alleges that prompted him to request flexible scheduling that would allow time for travel. The request was met with “harassment and hostility,” the lawsuit alleges.
In September 2019, Joy alleges, he was forced to accept a nine-month leave, without pay and benefits, from his fellowship position so that he could accompany his child to a treatment center. The lawsuit alleges a program director later retaliated against Joy for exercising his rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act by denying his requested accommodations and insisting that he undergo intensive clinical rotations.
According to the lawsuit, Joy “was expected to perform at a higher level than his peers,” and was eventually accused of absenteeism. Beginning in mid-January 2021, the “campaign of bullying and harassment escalated to direct disability discrimination,” the lawsuit claims, after an accident in which Joy fractured his wrist. Joy was allegedly denied schedule modifications so his wrist could heal and was forced to work several rigorous rotations, exacerbating his injuries.
The lawsuit also claims that on March 5, 2021, the university informed Joy his contract would not be renewed the following year, falsely alleging he lacked medical knowledge, was unprofessional and was poor at communication.
The lawsuit, originally filed in Johnson County District Court and then transferred to federal court, seeks unspecified damages for violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act, including discrimination and retaliation.
The state has yet to file a response to the lawsuit, and spokespeople for the Iowa attorney general’s office, University of Iowa and the Board of Regents did not immediately respond to a request for comment.