The company allegedly approved the same setup months earlier — with zero paperwork
MSC Cruises allegedly approved remote work without paperwork — then denied it as a disability accommodation, a new federal lawsuit claims.
The case, Holston v. MSC Cruises USA LLC (Case No. 0:26-cv-60706, S.D. Fla.), was filed on March 11, 2026, in the Southern District of Florida, and it lays out a scenario that should give every HR leader pause.
Leza Holston, a former Director of Groups Reservations at MSC Cruises, alleges she was subjected to discrimination based on both her race and a disclosed mental health condition, and that the company mishandled her requests for accommodation at nearly every turn.
According to the lawsuit, Holston — who was the only Black woman at the director level in her department — disclosed an anxiety condition to her supervisor in December 2023. The supervisor allegedly responded by telling her, "I'm gonna start talking harsh to you." What followed, the lawsuit claims, was a pattern of escalating hostility that included yelling, public ridicule, exclusion from team events, and contradictory directives.
But it is the accommodation timeline that may matter most to HR professionals.
The lawsuit alleges that from August to October 2024, MSC Cruises approved Holston to work remotely from Connecticut while she cared for her mother during a kidney transplant. No FMLA paperwork was required. No ADA forms. No medical documentation.
Months later, when Holston's attorney formally requested remote work as a reasonable accommodation — supported by recommendations from two medical providers — the company allegedly responded with forms containing workers' compensation language unrelated to her situation, requests for overly broad medical information, and a three-business-day deadline to complete the paperwork. A 30-day termination ultimatum followed, with the company claiming that further leave would constitute an undue hardship.
The contrast is hard to miss, and for employers navigating the return-to-office push, it is exactly the kind of inconsistency that invites legal scrutiny.
Then there is the question of how internal complaints were handled. The lawsuit alleges that when Holston raised concerns about her supervisor's conduct with the HR director in July 2024, she was told to speak directly with the supervisor — the very person she was complaining about. Monthly check-in meetings were scheduled, but no corrective action was taken, according to the filing.
Holston alleges she suffered a severe panic attack at work on October 24-25, 2024, required emergency medical attention, and has not returned to work since. She was subsequently diagnosed with PTSD, major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and panic disorder — conditions her medical providers have connected to the workplace environment, according to the lawsuit.
The lawsuit brings eight counts under the ADA and Title VII, seeking compensatory and punitive damages, back pay, front pay, and injunctive relief including workplace training.
No determination has been made in this case, and MSC Cruises has not yet responded to the allegations.
