ORGANIZATIONS TO PAY $325,000 TO SETTLE DISABILITY DISCRIMINATION CLAIM
Opportunities and Resources, Inc. and ORI Anuenue Hale, Inc. -- two non-profit organizations that provided janitorial services to military installations throughout Hawaii – were sued by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), for failing to provide reasonable accommodations to their deaf employees.
Apparently, the workers were denied sign interpreters for crucial meetings, like safety briefings.
Believing that such conduct violated the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), as amended, the EEOC filed suit in U.S. District Court for the District of Hawaii (Case No.: 1:21-cv-00286-JMS-RT) seeking monetary damages and injunctive relief.
In a recently announced settlement of the dispute, in addition to a $325,000 payment, the organizations agreed to modify their employment policies and practices and will “ensure effective accommodations for deaf and hard of hearing employees.”
By way of a written statement, said Anna Park, regional attorney for the EEOC’s Los Angeles District, which includes Hawaii, noted that, “The EEOC commends the brave employees who came forward and chose to assert their rights by reporting the discrimination that they faced …. The ADA specifically provides that workers with disabilities have the right to the same privileges and benefit of employment as all other workers. The EEOC stands ready to enforce the ADA and I remind all employers that they must comply with their obligations to provide reasonable and effective accommodations to employees.”
Bet the employees were relieved to hear that ….
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