A former Buckeye city planner has filed a notice of claim against the city, saying she was fired while negotiating her return to work under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Jennifer Roseman says she requested accommodations for depression and anxiety and was working to come back from a doctor-ordered leave when the city terminated her instead.
Roseman's notice of claim — a required step before filing a lawsuit against a public entity in Arizona — was detailed in reporting by KJZZ. According to the station, Roseman reportedly wanted to transfer positions because of the behavior of Buckeye's planning manager, and she was in the process of negotiating her return when she was let go.
Roseman Says She Followed the Rules
Roseman told the station she followed the process guidelines and provided everything the city asked for in writing. She said Buckeye seemed not to want her back and ignored the law in how it handled her case, the station's report notes.
Roseman has also alleged disability discrimination and retaliation to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, per the same account. A Buckeye spokesperson declined to comment on the pending litigation when asked by the outlet.
What Arizona Law Requires Before a Lawsuit
Under Arizona law, anyone with a claim against a public entity, public school, or public employee must first file that claim with the person or persons authorized to accept service on the entity's behalf, according to Arizona Revised Statutes § 12-821.01. A separate statute, A.R.S. § 12-821, sets a one-year window for bringing an actual lawsuit against a public entity or employee once a cause of action accrues.
Federal guidance from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission addresses how employer-provided leave interacts with disability accommodation obligations, while separate EEOC guidance lays out what counts as retaliation against an employee who raises a disability complaint. Neither document speaks to the specifics of Roseman's case, and the notice of claim itself — including its filing date or the relief Roseman is seeking — has not been made public.
It remains unclear whether Roseman has filed, or intends to file, an actual lawsuit beyond the notice of claim, and the city has not disputed or confirmed any part of her account. The underlying merits of her discrimination and retaliation allegations have not been resolved.
