July 16, 2008 —In an unprecedented case, the Virginia Employment Commission has granted Karen Gregg Price an Appeals Hearing nearly 4 years after her termination from AOL / Time Warner. Price, terminated around September 9, 2004 will present evidence that not only was she harassed for her disability and alcoholism, but she was also fired and never granted an opportunity to speak with the Equal Employment Opportunity Officer. Price has since written the book titled “Simply Quit Drinking: An Inspirational Journey From Near Death” about struggling with Generalized Anxiety Disorder and how she used alcohol to self-medicate. The hearing is scheduled for August 12, 2008, 2:00 E.T. to reassess the facts of her termination and denial of unemployment compensation.

“I coped with my anxiety illness by using alcohol,” says Karen Gregg Price. “I’m coming out publicly at my own risk to help others. People need to know that if they are having a similar problem as mine, seek medical help and counseling, as well as talk to your EEO Officer at work,” says Price. “My drinking got out of control and all the signs were there. Coworkers noticed, but they made fun of me. I had full health coverage, but my condition was not brought to any human resources professional nor was I ever counseled on how or where to get help. In the end, my request to see the Equal Employment Opportunity Officer was not granted. I had requested time off to relieve stress from the escalating problems I was having at work, such as attendance. During that time, my access was quickly cut off from all email and company systems.”

Copies of documents such as emails dated back to 2004 will be used at the hearing from both parties, and they are available at the website www.SimplyQuitDrinking.com. The book is also available for sale and includes chapters on being made fun of at work at AOL as well as her extensive medical breakdown that ensued. Price was hospitalized for alcohol poisoning 7 times, two times right after the termination, on October 3 and October 9, 2004.

"I'm fairly sure that under new Mental Health Parity legislation, the firing of an individual for medically diagnosed mental health disorders is illegal," says Price. "I'm an advocate for the Mental Health Parity Act."

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