The US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has sued Houston property developer Majestic Developers on behalf of Ali Aljoda, alleging it dismissed him because he is legally blind and needed workplace adjustments. Aljoda had moved his family from Atlanta for a drainage engineer role, but was dismissed within hours of arriving for his first day on 2 January 2025.

According to the lawsuit, Aljoda holds a bachelor’s degree, a master’s degree and a PhD in engineering, and had told the company what equipment and other support he would need; the company initially agreed. He says he was later told he could not be employed because he also worked as a researcher at Spelman College, and that managers rejected his offer to resign from that post, citing a lack of projects. The EEOC alleges violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act and is seeking back pay, damages, reinstatement or future pay, and changes to the company’s employment practices.