Law Student Secures Landmark Decision Recognizing Endometriosis as a Disability in Discrimination Case.
A law student achieved a landmark victory in North Carolina, becoming part of the first case to recognize endometriosis as a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
A 27-year-old law student has made history after winning the first case in North Carolina to recognize endometriosis as a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Christian “Cece” Worley recently secured a near six-figure settlement in her disability discrimination case against the North Carolina Department of Public Safety, alleging the agency failed to provide reasonable accommodations after she disclosed her endometriosis symptoms in May 2022, according to USA Today.
The landmark ruling establishes a new precedent in North Carolina, opening the door for endometriosis to be recognized as a disability and potentially reinforcing workplace accommodation protections for individuals living with the condition.
“I knew I wasn’t fighting this alone—there were hundreds of other women experiencing the same pain,” said Christian “Cece” Worley, reflecting on her decision to file an amended complaint and represent herself. “If there was ever a moment to push for real change, this felt like it.”
Worley shared that she spent much of her life enduring severe menstrual pain she described as “hell on Earth,” but it wasn’t until college that a concerned professor suggested she might have endometriosis—a condition affecting roughly one in ten women and often left undiagnosed for years.
For years, Christian “Cece” Worley remained undiagnosed while coping with debilitating symptoms at work. After requesting remote workdays during her menstrual cycle and time off for fertility-related appointments, she says her employer denied those accommodations and warned her about possible disciplinary action.
Despite losing an initial workplace complaint and being advised by multiple attorneys that her case was unlikely to succeed, Worley chose to represent herself. She ultimately secured a settlement that resulted in North Carolina’s first ruling recognizing endometriosis as a disability under the ADA.
“It doesn’t just validate the lived experiences of hundreds of millions of women by affirming that this pain is real—it also gives them a legal reference point,” she said. “When they’re sitting in HR offices, they can say, ‘This is something that can be accommodated under the ADA. What can be done for me in my situation?’”
