According to the EEOC’s suit, since at least January 2020, Carlstar denied opportunities to manufacturing employees when the company learned they were taking certain prescription medications, including narcotics and opioids, for the treatment of disabilities, even after the employees were medically cleared to perform their job duties.
The suit also alleged that Carlstar failed to consider or provide the workers with reasonable accommodations to the company’s drug testing and substance abuse policy which would enable employees to work while lawfully using their prescribed medications.
Such alleged conduct violates the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which prohibits disability discrimination in employment.
The EEOC filed suit (EEOC v. The Carlstar Group, LLC, Case No. 3:25-cv-00575EJR) in May 2025 in U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its administrative conciliation process.
In addition to the required monetary relief, the five-year consent decree settling the suit obligates Carlstar to adopt strong policies and procedures for the provision of reasonable accommodations for employees who take prescription medication, and train supervisors and other employees.
The decree also requires Carlstar to track and maintain all requests for disability accommodations related to prescription medication, post a notice to employees about their federal right to be free from disability discrimination, and report periodically to the EEOC.
“Federal law provides protections for disabled employees who lawfully take prescription medication for qualifying disabilities,” said Andrea G. Baran, regional attorney for the EEOC’s St. Louis District Office. “Employers must follow the law, train their supervisors, and ensure they provide required accommodations to employees who take such medications and can perform the essential functions of their jobs.”
David S. Davis, district director of the EEOC’s St. Louis District Office, said, “Compliance with the ADA requires more than a one-size-fits-all approach. Employers must individually assess such employees to determine whether they can safely perform their job duties while taking the medication.”