Ex-Raymond James exec sues, says he was fired after chemo

A former executive at Raymond James & Associates Inc. sued the company for $6 million, claiming he was fired after falling asleep as a result of chemotherapy. Stephen Fredericks, who was a managing director of sales trading, filed the complaint today in New York state Supreme Court in Manhattan. Fredericks, who worked for Raymond James from 2002 to 2009, said he underwent chemotherapy in 2008 after being diagnosed with lymphoma. As a side effect, he occasionally “spontaneously fell asleep,” he said, and was told that if he nodded off, he couldn't continue to work. He went on disability in May 2009 and was terminated that July, according to the complaint. “If you fall asleep again, I'm going to have to get rid of you or you will have to go onto disability,” Fredericks claims his supervisor told him, according to the filing. Meanwhile, the complaint says, another sales trader with no medical disability fell asleep at the trading desk. “This sales trader also viewed pornography on his computer and he was not fired until after” Fredericks raised his claims, according to the complaint. Fredericks, who said his overall business grew from $3.5 million to $4 million in 2008 while working with his medical disability, claims he is owed back pay, unpaid commission and bonuses, benefits and interest in the amount of $3 million. He also is seeking $3 million in damages. Anthea Penrose, a spokeswoman for St. Petersburg, Florida- based Raymond James Financial Inc., declined to comment. The case is Stephen Fredericks v. Raymond James and Associates Inc., 107281-2010, New York state Supreme Court (Manhattan).