AGREES TO PAY $60,000
According to a press release issued by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), Charter Communications, a “broadband connectivity and cable company,” d/b/a Spectrum, agreed to settle a disability discrimination lawsuit filed by the agency.
Because he suffered from cataracts and night blindness, an employee requested a shift change, so that he did not need to drive at night. While the company initially accommodated that request, after about a month, it refused to extend the schedule change (and placed him back on a shift ending at 9 pm), claiming that “assistance with [his] commute,” was “not required under the ADA.”
Believing that such conduct was violative of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the EEOC filed suit (EEOC v. Charter Communications, LLC, Civil Action No. 2:18-cv-1333), in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin seeking monetary damages and injunctive relief.
In addition to a $60,000 payment to the impacted individual, the company has agreed to modify its employment-related practices.
In a written statement, Amrith Kaur Aakre, director of the EEOC's Chicago District Office, noted that, “The ADA requires employers to consult with employees who request help in connection with a disability, and to participate in an interactive process to find reasonable accommodations that enable employees with disabilities to do their jobs. In this case, Charter’s efforts fell short.”
Should Charter have charted a different course?
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