• 04
  • January
    2012

A large clothing manufacturer and clothing distributor based in California settled a disability discrimination lawsuit in December 2011. The business employs about 10,000 people in 285 retail stores. The stores are located in 20 different countries. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed the lawsuit on behalf of a garment worker that was fired while he was on leave because of a disability, a violation of federal law. The EEOC stated that the firing was a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

During the lawsuit, the EEOC and the clothing company worked together to come to a settlement. The settlement terms state that the clothing business must pay the fired garment worker $40,000 in addition to providing training to the company's managers and supervisors.

Further, the company will sponsor two seminars regarding the rights of employees under the American with Disabilities Act. The company has also adopted and implemented a new ADA policy. It must also inform employees about their rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act. As part of the settlement, the company must also hire an ADA coordinator to ensure that the terms of the settlement are adhered to and that the company does implement the ADA policy.

The training for the managers and supervisors includes ensuring that they understand the ADA and how to comply with the law, including making sure employers accommodate those with disabilities. The district director for the area's Equal Employment Opportunity Commission stated that people with disabilities are productive and creative, and job opportunities give them the ability to flourish in their jobs if the employer provides reasonable accommodation, which is required under the law.

Source: Fibre 2 Fashion, "American Apparel to pay $40K to a fired garment worker," Dec. 20, 2011