A 30-year employee of the Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. who describes himself as deaf has filed a federal lawsuit alleging that the helicopter manufacturer violated the Americans Disabilities Act by refusing to make requested workplace accommodations.

The worker, James Cadoret, of Bethany, started out assembling electrical components at Sikorsky's Stratford facility. He rose to a supervisory position, overseeing the work of eight to 16 installers, according to the lawsuit. However, Cadaret says he was demoted after repeatedly asking for the resources he needed to communicate with co-workers.

According to the lawsuit, filed by the New York City firm of New York's Eisenberg & Baum, Cadoret communicates mostly through American Sign Language. “As the responsibilities of the plaintiff's job increased so did the complexity of the information he would need to convey and understand,” the claim states. “He requested an American Sign Language interpreter to enable him to communicate effectively on the job. The defendant ignored and denied the plaintiff's repeated requests for an interpreter.”