NEW YORK (AP) A former St. John's assistant basketball coach is suing the university and head coach Mike Anderson, claiming he was fired because of a health issue.

Steve DeMeo says in a lawsuit he was let go in June after telling Anderson about a serious heart condition that necessitated work accommodations due to the pandemic and would likely require additional procedures and medical leave. Previous to that, DeMeo asserts in the suit, Anderson had only praised his job performance.

The lawsuit, filed Thursday by Wigdor LLP in U.S. District Court, alleges DeMeo's dismissal violated the Family and Medical Leave Act, along with New York human rights and labor laws.