Former NBC 11 on-air talent Traci Grant is suing NBC Universal, Inc., as well as NBC 11 assistant news director Mark Neerman, for punitive damages on counts of disability discrimination, failure to accommodate disability, and harassment on the basis of disability. Why? Well, according to Grant's suit, NBC allegedly let her go because of her epilepsy. (Grant suffered from two epileptic seizures between July and October 2007 while working for NBC 11.)

The "36-year-old African American Female" claims that the the Defendants perceived her as mentally disabled when they made the decision not to renew her contract for 2008. According to the suit, Grant met with the Neerman and Human Resource Manager, Judy Betro, and was reportedly told,"you have been sick and because you have had to take a number of sick days and because you have seizures at work, we find you unreliable to do this job." While she was given the opportunity to do another job, the suit goes on to say, that job would've been a demotion, effectively cut her paycheck in half.

Also, in an email Betro sent to Grant, the former reporter was asked "are there better jobs for which you qualify that can better address your limitations or restrictions?" Ouch.

Also, what if you saw a reporter experience a seizure while live on-air? Obviously, it would freak you out, but then what -- would you be upset? compassionate? pissed that the station let it happen? fine with it? too uncomfortable to ever watch NBC 11 again? would you send a nice letter of support, or heartlessly make it into your LJ icon?