CT woman claims genetic discrimination

Fairfield, Connecticut (WTNH) - A Fairfield woman says her boss sent her packing because she was at risk for cancer.

That woman has filed a federal complaint against a Stamford Company citing a recently passed law making discrimination based on genetic testing illegal.

Pamela Fink has been out of work for a month now. She's a mother of two and the primary breadwinner in her family. However, she's not backing down from her fight because she says the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act was passed last year for exactly this kind of case.

Sitting in her living room in Fairfield, Pamela Fink is not only fighting for herself; she’s fighting for all women in this country who carry the breast cancer gene.

She's filed a complaint with both the state and federal government claiming she was fired by Stamford-based MX Energy because she's a carrier of the gene.

"When I was terminated on March 25th, they eliminated my position and I can't help but believe this is why,” Fink said.

Before her preemptive double mastectomy last year, Fink says her employer gave her excellent reviews. In fact she showed News 8 the documents. She claims after she disclosed her genetic disposition to her boss, and the ensuing surgeries, she was pushed out.

"I know in my heart that I did a really good job for them,” she said. “And then when I came back, it wasn't the case anymore."

Fink wants to send a message to MX Energy and to anyone who might discriminate based on medical information -- it's now a violation of Federal Law.

Pamela Fink concluded, "There are people out there who won't even take the test because they're afraid there's gonna be a mark on their permanent record -- whatever that may be -- that says, 'Oh oh, she may get breast cancer or some other disease.’"

A spokesperson for MX Energy released a statement on Thursday saying they "emphatically and categorically" deny the allegations, but can't comment further because they don't discuss personnel matters.