Wheelchair-Bound Mom To Be Paid $10K After Fabco Employee Barred Her From 86th Street Store

An employee at Fabco Shoes in Bensonhurst tried to forcibly remove a disabled mother who was trying to shop for herself and her two daughters, according to a recently settled civil rights lawsuit.

The discount shoe franchise agreed to pay $10,000 to Amal Mohamed and to train its store managers on the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) as part of the settlement, announced Brooklyn U.S. Attorney Loretta Lynch Tuesday. Fabco also agreed to post signs welcoming people with disabilities in its 51 stores.

Mohamed alleges when she entered Fabco’s 2171 86th Street location on May 1, 2013, an employee stopped her claiming the tires on her motorized wheelchair might soil the store’s carpet, according to the settlement. The employee then tried to physically remove Mohamed from the store, and only stopped because the wheelchair was too heavy, authorities said.

“Instead of treating Mrs. Mohamed like any other customer, Fabco violated her rights under the ADA by not allowing her to shop for herself and her children and attempting to remove her from the store,” Lynch said. “This settlement serves notice that store owners who fail to respect the rights of individuals with disabilities will be held accountable for their actions.”

The ADA prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities and requires stores to make “reasonable accommodations” to allow people with disabilities to use and enjoy their facilities.

There are 51 Fabco discount shoe stores throughout Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, and the Bronx, as well as in New Jersey and Westchester County.