Obama Foundation Sued
Ex-Employee Says She Was Fired After Medical Leave
Published
The Barack Obama Foundation just got dragged to court by a former employee who claims she asked for mental health help … but got shown the door instead.
According to a new federal lawsuit, obtained by TMZ, a woman named Tifphany McClinton says she worked as a curatorial assistant from mid-2023 until she was fired in December 2025 — and alleges the nonprofit failed her at nearly every turn.
McClinton claims she suffers from anxiety, PTSD, depression and scoliosis — conditions she says required accommodations like physical therapy during work hours and a modified schedule that allowed her to leave the office by 3 PM.
But instead of support, she says she got resistance … and worse.
In one shocking allegation, McClinton claims a coworker jokingly told her to jump off an 11th-floor balcony to kill herself — a comment she says triggered a severe mental health crisis. She says she reported it to HR, but claims nothing meaningful was done in response.
The lawsuit paints a picture of an employee asking for help … and getting sidelined. McClinton says her requests for accommodations were never properly formalized … and at times she was warned her reduced in-office presence could hurt her career.
She also claims things escalated after she took medical leave.
According to the suit … she used FMLA leave multiple times to deal with her conditions, including a roughly 9-week stretch in 2024. But she alleges that after returning, she faced increased scrutiny, new expectations, and what she describes as retaliatory treatment — including a performance review that was allegedly altered while she was out.
By late 2025, she says she had no choice but to take leave again … and while still dealing with her health issues, she claims she was then fired.
McClinton claims the stated reason for her termination was performance-related … but she says that’s just a cover for disability discrimination and retaliation for requesting accommodations and taking protected medical leave.
She’s now suing under the ADA, Illinois state law, and the FMLA — seeking damages, back pay, and more.
We’ve reached out to the Obama Foundation … so far, no word back.