New York Post

NYPD owes HIV+ guy a job

- Kaja Whitehouse

A man who was denied an NYPD techie job because he has HIV has won out — with a new offer of employment and a check for $85,000.

Raymond Parker of Brooklyn received the job offer and dough as the result of a settlement announced Tuesday between the city and the Manhattan US Attorney’s Office. The US attorney sued the city after the NYPD yanked Parker’s job offer because of his HIV.

Parker, 61, had applied for the job of police communicat­ions technician in July 2013 and was given a “conditiona­l” offer of employment, according to the feds’ lawsuit.

But when he told the city about his HIV during a routine medical exam, the NYPD requested more in- formation about his CD4 count, which determines the level of a type of white blood cell in the blood. The lower the number, the worse the condition.

In December 2013, the NYPD sent Parker a “notice of medical disqualifi­cation” due to his “low CD4 count.”

“I keep myself in shape. I don’t let my body wither. I live life to the fullest. I felt confident I could do the job,” Parker told The Post after the Manhattan US Attorney’s Office sued the city in January.

Acting Manhattan US Attorney Joon Kim celebrated.

“As a result of this lawsuit, the City of New York has acknowledg­ed that HIV status is not a basis to deny an individual employment,” he said.

The city Law Department did not comment Tuesday.

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