A former Intel employee has filed a lawsuit against the chipmaker, alleging he was dismissed for not complying with the company’s return-to-office policy despite having prior approval to work remotely as a disability accommodation.
The employee, Namseok Kim, who worked as a design engineer at Intel since 2014, claims the company approved his request to work remotely in 2023 because of a hearing impairment. According to the lawsuit, the remote work arrangement was granted as a reasonable workplace accommodation.
The complaint alleges that in July 2025, Intel informed Kim that his employment would be terminated because he was working remotely. The dismissal came after Intel introduced a policy requiring employees to work from the office at least four days a week as part of its broader return-to-office strategy.
Kim has asked the court to reinstate him to his former position, award lost wages and grant damages of $800,000.
According to the lawsuit, Kim appealed the termination, arguing that his remote work arrangement had already been approved to accommodate his disability. However, he claims the company proceeded with the dismissal despite the approved accommodation.
The case highlights the growing tension between employer return-to-office mandates and workplace accommodation obligations for employees with disabilities. As organisations continue to strengthen in-office attendance policies, employers may face increased scrutiny over how such mandates are applied to employees entitled to reasonable accommodations.
The company is yet to release an official comment on this matter.
The lawsuit comes as Intel continues its restructuring efforts. The company has implemented significant workforce reductions over the past two years while requiring more employees to return to office as part of its operational strategy.