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EEOC Roundup: November Edition


As always, there are some EEOC cases that jump out at me when I review developments on that front.  In fact, by my count, it has been about a year since I last highlighted some recent EEOC cases.  I suppose twelve months later is as good of a time as any to do another EEOC Roundup.  Below are a couple EEOC cases and settlements that caught my eye this week. 


Former Owner of VHS West Suburban Medical Center Agrees to Settle Disability Discrimination Suit

The former owner of VHS West Suburban Medical Center has agreed to settle a disability discrimination suit for $150,000 following a recent lawsuit that was filed following claims of a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”).  The lawsuit claimed that a worker requested a reasonable accommodation of a temporary, part time schedule in January 2016.  Her employer instead put her on unpaid leave.  Even after notifying her employer that the reasonable accommodation was no longer needed, she was not allowed to return to work and was subsequently terminated in July 2016.  This alleged conduct is in violation of the ADA which prohibits employers from discriminating against an employee/applicant on the basis of a disability as well as failing to provide a reasonable accommodation. 


Greyhound to Pay $45,000 to Settle Religious Discrimination Suit

Last week, it was announced that Greyhound would pay $45,000 to settle a religious discrimination suit after it allegedly discriminated against a worker that requested to wear an abaya (a loose fitting ankle length outfit that covers the wearer’s body with the intent to protect the wearer’s modesty.)  According to the lawsuit, when interviewing for a position with Greyhound, the worker requested to wear the abaya if hired.  She was apparently told that was fine.  However, after starting training, she was told she could not wear it, despite the requested accommodation.  Greyhound stipulated that while a few revisions could be made to the required workplace outfit, the abaya could not be worn as another Muslim worker accepted Greyhound’s minor revisions (sans abaya) to the workplace outfit.  The worker subsequently withdrew from the training program and filed suit against Greyhound on the grounds that she was unlawfully discriminated against on the basis of her religion.  These alleged actions by Greyhound are in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which requires employers to accommodate an employee/applicant’s sincerely held religious beliefs so long as it would not pose an undue hardship on the employer.

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