EEOC Settles Discrimination Lawsuit For $40,000
Product Fabricators, Inc. pays $40,000 to settle a discrimination lawsuit filed by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission ("EEOC"). The lawsuit was filed under the Americans With Disabilities Act ("ADA") on behalf of Dennis Anderson. According to published accounts Product Fabricators fired long-time employee Anderson because he was taking a low-dosage, prescribed narcotic medication for back pain. Heaven forbid someone try and live pain free. This kind of behavior by a company is crazy and unprofessional. Can you imagine the company wanted Mr. Anderson to have to work in pain?
To show how creepy this company is they even required all employees to report whether they were taking any prescription or over-the-counter medication. This crazy policy is a violation of the ADA because it is not related to the ability of employees to do their jobs. This sounds like something out of a big brother movie. I really can't believe a company would have a policy like this. I am happy to report the EEOC held this company accountable for violating federal law. This just goes to show you that if you don't let a company push you around you can be rewarded with a nice paycheck.
“Requiring all employees to report their legal use of prescription drugs – and even over-the-counter medication – amounts to an unreasonable invasion of privacy, whether an employee is disabled or not,” said EEOC Chicago District Regional Attorney John Hendrickson.
