In a new potential headache for the University of Oregon, a former employee has filed a $900,000 civil rights lawsuit alleging that university officials wrongly fired her from her job in the Erb Memorial Union�s craft center after she took medical leave to deal with debilitating migraines.

Laura A. Gerards claims in the suit that the university terminated her employment in April because she had gone on medical leave and sought an unspecified �reasonable accommodation� at work that would have allowed her to continue performing her job duties in the craft center despite the migraines.

Gerards was also fired because � as a migraine sufferer � she has a disability, the lawsuit asserts.

The lawsuit was filed this past week in Lane County Circuit Court.

University spokeswoman Julie Brown on Friday said no one at the UO was available to comment on allegations contained in the lawsuit.

Gerards worked more than 15 years for the university. She had served most recently as an office specialist in the craft center, which offers a variety of arts workshops to students and community members.

The lawsuit names the university and four UO employees as defendants. They include equal opportunity specialist Anne Bonner; employment manager Christine Lonigan; craft center director Diane Hoffman; and craft center assistant coordinator Timothy Cohalan.

The suit alleges that the UO violated Gerards� due process rights when it fired her without giving her a hearing at which she could have presented evidence supporting her case.

It also contends that the university wrongfully terminated her employment after not �fully engag(ing) in the interactive process with (Gerards)� to determine what accommodations she needed to continue working at the craft center.

The lawsuit doesn�t say how much time Gerards spent on medical leave in the spring of 2014, but it alleges she was fired April 14.

Prior to losing her job, Gerards was informed at the end of her leave period that any additional absences due to the migraines �would not be tolerated,� the suit asserts.

Gerards is seeking $500,000 in lost wages, insurance and other benefits and $400,000 to compensate for emotional distress.

Follow Jack on Twitter @JackMoranRG . Send emails to jack.moran@registerguard.com .