EEOC Sues DHL Supply Chain Over Refusal to Accommodate Sickle Cell Disorder

The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, Atlanta Division, centers on an employee who worked for Exel through a staffing company at its Forest Park, Georgia warehouses. The suit alleges Exel denied her request to limit time in a cooler or be assigned to non-cooler roles, despite stating it does not accommodate medical restrictions.

According to the EEOC's complaint, the employee has sickle cell disorder, which can be triggered by extreme cold. In January 2023, a new supervisor assigned her to work only in the cooler. She requested accommodation to work in the cooler for shorter periods or to be assigned to two other available assignments that did not require entering the cooler.

The suit states that although she worked in non-cooler assignments for most of her employment, Exel denied the request. Shortly after denying the accommodation, Exel discharged her. The EEOC alleges Exel later hired all other temporary employees for full-time positions except for the former employee, costing her a permanent position.

Marcus G. Keegan, regional attorney for the EEOC's Atlanta District Office, said, "Federal law requires that employers accommodate disabled employees when it is not an undue hardship to do so. In this case, Exel could have easily assigned the employee to work in the other roles that did not require going into the cooler or limited her time working in the cooler. Instead, the company stated unequivocally that it does not accommodate restrictions, and not only fired her, but also denied her permanent employment. That was unlawful, and the EEOC will continue to hold employers accountable for conduct."

Darrell E. Graham, district director of the EEOC's Atlanta District Office, said, "Employers cannot adopt blanket policies refusing to accommodate restrictions. Doing so denies disabled employees the interactive process required by law. The facts in this case make clear that accommodation was possible."

The EEOC filed the suit, EEOC v. Exel Inc, d/b/a DHL Supply Chain (USA), Case No. 1:26-cv-01720, after attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement via its conciliation process. The agency is seeking back pay, front pay, compensatory damages, and punitive damages, as well as injunctive relief to prevent future discrimination.